Harvest Festival of Punjab

Lohri is a festival of zeal and verve and marks the culmination of the chilly winter. In true spirit of the Punjabi culture, men and women perform Bhangra and Giddha, popular Punjabi folk dances, around a bonfire. Enthusiastic children go from house to house singing songs and people oblige them generously by giving them money and eatables as offering for the festival.

Logs of wood are piled together for a bonfire, and friends and relatives gather around it. They go around the fire three times, giving offerings of popcorns, peanuts, rayveri and sweets. Then, to the beat of the dhol (traditional Indian drum), people dance around the fire. Prasad of til, peanuts, rayveri, puffed rice, popcorn, gajak and sweets is distributed. This symbolizes a prayer to Agni for abundant crops and prosperity.

Does anyone know more about this festival?

Yes, i would surely like to add something here!

Lohri festival is an annual thanksgiving day and an extremely popular harvest festival in India, epscially Northern India. Lohri falls in mid-January (13th January).

And interestingly, the earth is the farthest from the sun at this time of the year!!

Sarson ka saag and makki ki rotiis usually served as the main course at a Lohri dinner. And believe me, this is delicious!!

I heard The passion of Punjab in a platter so I found it an interesting post.. Sarso ka saag and Makke ki roti, really is very delecious.

The origin of the Lohri can be traced back to the tale of Dulla Bhatti. By the end of the first week of January, small groups of boys ring the doorbell of houses and start chanting the Lohri songs related to Dulla Bhatti. In turn, the people give them popcorn, peanuts, crystal sugar, sesame seeds (til) or gur as well as money. Turning them back empty-handed is regarded inauspicious.

is it celebrated differently by others?