The festival of Lohri is celebrated mainly in Northern India and is celebrated on the night before Makar Sankranti (January 14th). Lohri is usually celebrated with great fervor in the state of Punjab and surrounding areas and is connected to the harvest, the winter solstice (according to the sidereal zodiac) and many more traditional events.
This article is our archive (or linked-list) of some informative articles on Lohri – they cover the subjects of tradition, significance, legends and food recipes connected with this wonderful festival. Happy Lohri!
Why and How Lohri is Celebrated
Lohri is celebrated specially as the harvest festival by the people of Punjab (a state in north India) though no festival is restricted to one state or religion. Punjab is the breadbasket of India, so the focus of the festival is on food and thanksgiving.
Panchangam: Origin of Lohri
Lohri marks the end of winter on the last day of Paush, and beginning of Magha (around January 12 and 13), when the sun changes its course. It is associated with the worship of the sun and fire and is observed by all communities with different names, as Lohri is an exclusively Punjabi festival. The questions like when it began and why is lost in the midst of antiquity.
Social Significance of Lohri
Though Lohri festival has no religious significance but it holds a great social significance and is celebrated as a day of imparting social love to one and all. The festival of Lohri is meant to relieve people from worldly day to day routine, and make…
Lohri – A Punjabi Festival
It marks the movement of the sun towards the north as opposed to the south. It is referred to as the sun becoming Uttarayan, considered to be an extremely auspicious time. People believe that the Lohri night the longest night of the year and from the next…
Lohri – An Agricultural Festival
During the day, children go from door to door singing songs in praise of Dulha Bhatti, the Punjabi version of Robin Hood, a thief who helps the poor and fights for their rights. These children are given sweets and savouries, and occasionally, money. These…
Traditional Lohri Celebrations
While celebrating Lohri, all family members light fire and sit around it. The festival starts when all the family members form a circle around the fire and start revolving around it. This revolving of the members around the fire is known as ‘Agni Ke Phere’. While moving around they murmur a specific Mantra known as ‘Gayatri Mantra’. With each round they sacrifice a mixture of 5 edible elements. As each round is completed they put the mixture in the fire by loudly saying ‘Swaha’ while sacrificing. This sacrifice is known as ‘Aahuti’. This process is repeated for 7 times.
Recipes for Lohri
Our Lohri Recipes section contains a variety of traditional Lohri recipes. Lohri is the winter festival of North India, celebrated on January 13 to mark the day of Uttarayan or sun’s journey towards north. Celebrate Lohri along with some delicious food…