Celebrating Lohri: Festival of Culture and Harvest in Northern India
As families gather around bonfires, they perform rituals such as offering sesame seeds and jaggery, seeking blessings from Agni and Surya Devta for a prosperous harvest.
India is known for its festivals and the various ways people celebrate them. The whole country celebrates one festival or another with zest every two to three months.
At times, people in one region celebrate one festival, and in another, they tend to celebrate another festival. The motive is simple: to celebrate with friends and family, eat different dishes, wear new clothes, and have fun.
One such festival that begins a couple of days after New Year is Lohri, celebrated every year in January.
The festival is mainly celebrated by Sikhs and marks the end of the winter solstice and the harvesting of Rabi crops.
Lohri is also celebrated in Punjab, Haryana, and in some parts of Himachal Pradesh.
During the celebrations, people wear traditional outfits and sing and dance around the bonfire, hence welcoming the longer days of warmer temperatures.
The festival is celebrated a day before Makar Sankranti and holds great cultural significance.
It is generally marked by the lighting of bonfires, which are mostly made of wood and cow dung, a sacred ritual usually performed in open spaces or outside homes.
As part of the ceremony, devotees perform parikrama by circling the bonfire and offering sesame seeds, jaggery, gajak, rewri, and peanuts to the fire.
Families gather around crackling bonfires, sharing festive treats, dancing to lively dhol beats, and embracing the warmth and joy that characterize Lohri celebrations.
The festival observes agricultural prosperity, with prayers dedicated to Agni, the fire god, and Surya Devta, the sun god, and seeks their blessings for a bountiful harvest.
Lohri is rooted in ancient folklore and family traditions that are passed down through generations. Generally celebrated as a harvest festival, it has tremendous significance for farming communities, whose lives and livelihoods depend on agriculture.
Over time, Lohri has also come to symbolise the worship of fire, representing warmth, light, and renewal. The festival marks the gradual retreat of the harsh winter and the arrival of longer days. Special foods and offerings are prepared for the sacred bonfire, reflecting the belief that these rituals invite prosperity, dispel negativity, and usher in a fruitful, hopeful season ahead.