Lohri puja

marks the culmination of winter, and is celebrated on the 13 Jan a day before Makar Sankranti. For Punjabis, this is an important festival. Lohri celebrates fertility and the spark of life. People gather round the bonfires, throw sweets, puffed rice and popcorn into the flames, sing songs and exchange greetings. The prasad comprises of things like til, gazak, gur, moongphali, phuliya and popcorn. There is puja, involving parikrama around the fire and distribution of prasad. This symbolizes a prayer to Agni, the spark of life, for abundant crops and prosperity. The first Lohri of a bride is extremely important. The first Lohri of a newborn baby, whether a girl or a boy, is also equally important. Children go from door to door singing and asking for the Lohri prasad.

Lohri celebrations are marked by traditional songs and dances. People dress up nicely on the long-awaited bonfire festival. Lohri calls for family get-togethers and lavish dinners with sarson ka saag & makki ki roti. The day ends with prayers for a good harvest.

In the morning on Lohri day, children go from door to door singing and demanding the Lohri 'loot' in the form of money and eatables like til (sesame) seeds, peanuts, jaggery, or sweets like gajak, rewri, etc. They sing:

“Dabba bharaya leera da”
“Ai ghar ameera da”

Translation: Box filled of cloths strips..this house is of the rich!

And those who weren't that generous had to face a bunch of kids chanting the following:

Hukka bhai Hukkaa”
“Ai ghar bhukka”

Translation: Hukka! Oh! Hukka!..this house is full of misers!

Do you know that there are diffrent songs of Lohri for girls and boys.

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 them relaxed, cheerful and happy. It is the time when people from all castes and social strata come together forgetting all past differences and grievances. Every year Lohri succeeds in bridging the social gap, as people visit homes, distribute sweets and greet each other.