Lohri celebrates the harvest of the Rabi crop and is also a folk reverence for the Fire god or the goddess of Lohri. Lohri is celebrated with a bonfire, which is a part of its tradition and is widely celebrated across Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, and other North Indian states. Lohri is also celebrated in Jammu since Mughal times.<\/p>\n
It is believed that the festival commemorates the passing of the winter solstice and traditional welcome of longer days and the sun’s journey to the northern hemisphere by Hindus and Sikhs in the northern region of the Indian subcontinent. It is observed the night before Makar Sankranti, also known as Maghi, and according to the solar part of the lunisolar Vikrami calendar, and typically falls about the same date every year (13 January).<\/p>\n
One folklore about Lohri is linked to the tale of Dulla Bhatti. Legends say that Dulla Bhatti lived in Punjab during the reign of Mughal Emperor Akbar and is regarded as a hero in Punjab for rescuing Hindu girls from being forcibly taken and trafficked as slaves in Middle Eastern markets. Among the girls saved were Sundri and Mundri, both of whom have become a theme of Punjab folklore and the theme of a popular folk song as well.<\/p>\n
Lohri is known for its delicious savory dishes and as per traditions, the harvest festival is marked by eating sheaves of roasted corn and sugarcane products like jaggery, gajak and nuts. Sarson da saag and Makki di roti are two traditional fares during the celebrations. The eating of til (sesame seeds) is also an important part of Lohri.<\/p>\n
Music and dance are an integral part of the festival, with people wearing colorful clothes and dancing to bhangra and gidda around the bonfire.<\/p>\n
In some traditions, people believe Lohri is derived from the name Loi, Saint Kabir\u2019s wife. As per legends, Lohri comes from the word \u2018loh\u2019, which means the light and the warmness of fire and is also called lohi in rural Punjab. Some think that Holika and Lohri were sisters, while the former perished in the Holi fire, the latter survived.<\/p>\n
Lohri<\/a> is an official holiday in Punjab, the Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.\u00a0 The festival is celebrated in Delhi and Haryana but is not a gazetted holiday. In all these areas, the festival is celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, and Muslims.<\/p>\n You might also want to read https:\/\/www.hamslive.com\/news\/2021\/12\/07\/hindu-muslim-controversy-how-religious-how-political-part-1\/<\/a><\/p>\n