The Rabi crop harvest festival called Lohri in Punjab and Makar Sankranti in other parts of India is a festival that marks the end of winters.
Lohri is celebrated on the 13th day of January annually for which people organize a singing ceremony or dance competition nearby their house, igniting a bonfire at night which is the core ritual. On this day, people irrespective of their age and gender participate in folk songs.
In 2023, Lohri is to be celebrated on January 14th, and the Lohri Sankranti Moment is at 8.57 pm IST.
The legend associated with Lohri revolves around the dacoit named Dulla who lived in the Mughal district of Punjab. Dulla was considered a fearless man and was known for single handedly rescuing the slave girls and arranging their marriages. Lohri is celebrated in honor of Dulla Bhatti and his exploits Sundri and Mundri.
In the Himalayas, Lohri is an indigenous ritual that that emerged from the foothills whose winter is colder than those of the Arabian peninsula. Once the Rabi season begins, Hindus and Sikhs lit bonfires and socialize around it, singing and dancing together throughout the week. Whereas in Punjab the celebration go on till the end of the month.
The Lohri celebration falls a day after Makar Sankranti from when the nights become shorter and the day gets longer. The bonfire symbolizes how Lohri is about welcoming warmer days. Some mantras are also used by people so that they may receive the heat of the sun during cold days of winter. There is a belief that chanting these mantras may cause the Sun receive your prayers.
Lohri is incomplete without dancing, singing and some delicious foods. People, even those living in urban areas also celebrate Lohri with great pleasure. They adorn themselves with the finest outfits to join dance and singing competitions. Once the bonfire is lit, people throw food items like puffed rice, popcorns and others as a tribute to God and receive blessings. The traditional food of Lohri include saag and makki di roti, gur ki roti, til ki barfi panjiri, makhane ki kheer, till laddoo, pinni, gondh ladoo, and many more.