JOIN OUR WHATSAPP CHANNEL
Happy Lohri 2019: History, Significance and Why is the festival of Lohri celebrated
Happy Lohri 2019: Lohri falls on the 13th of every month and we bring you the importance of Lohri and why is it celebrated. Read on!
The festival of Lohri, which is predominantly celebrated by Sikhs and Hindus all across the nation, is celebrated on January 13 every year, and according to popular belief, the festival of Lohri marks the end of winters. Lohri- Punjabi festival, is associated with the harvest of the rabi crops and according to some beliefs, Lohri is termed as a harvest festival because the ideal time to harvest sugarcane crops in January.
According to ancient stories, Lohri is both the celebration of winter crop season and remembrance and worship of the Sun deity as it marks the coming of summers. While Lohri is a festival of the Punjabi’s, but these days, everyone loves celebrating Lohri. On the day of the festival, a lot of people gather together and the celebrations begin by lighting up a bonfire, and people dancing around the bonfire. Since everyone gathers together to celebrate Lohri, the festival is known for eating a lot of sweet dishes such as gur rewri, peanuts, and popcorns. Besides these, in Punjab's villages, it is a tradition to eat gajjak, sarson da saag and makki di roti on the day of the festival. Although nowadays, families and friends get-together and eat whatever is conveniently available, however, it is a ritual to eat ‘til rice’ which is made by mixing jaggery, sesame seeds and rice on this day.
Back in the day, two-three days prior to Lohri, children of the house used to go to their neighboring houses and ask for Lohri items such as sweets, sugar, sesame seeds, jaggery, and cow dung cakes. In the evening, when the sun is about to set, people used to assemble at one’s place and put all the items of the bonfire, like logs, wood, and sugar cane and light the bonfire. Besides eating, people throw popcorn, jaggery, rewari, gajak, peanuts and sesame seeds in the fire as an offering and then the Prasad is distributed among everyone. From dancing to Punjabi songs to eating sweets to making merry, Lohri is a festival of love, joy, and laughter. For the Punjabi farmers, Lohri is the financial New Year.
Here’s wishing everyone a very Happy Lohri!
