Lohri Fun

Bonfires, Sunder mundriye, Peanuts and Gachak, all these aspects make Lohri a fun festival. Falling on January 13th every year, Lohri is about fun, celebration and the coming together of all, men, women as well as kids. The Lohri day begins with children collecting money from houses in the neighborhood. In the evening, winter savories are served around a bonfire. Celebrated enthusiastically in Haryana, Punjab and parts of Himachal Pradesh, it also signifies the beginning of the end of winter.

Children go from door to door singing songs in praise of Dulha Bhatti, a Punjabi version of Robin Hood who robbed the rich and helped the poor. These "visitors" are given either money or gachak, bhuga, til, moongphali, gur and rewri. A bonfire is lit and everyone gathers around it. Munchies, collected from each house, go around the party and are also thrown into the fire.

The festival assumes greater significance if there has been a happy event in the family during the elapsed year, like the birth of a male child or marriage. The family then plays host to relations and friends wherein the eats take a back seat and merry-making takes over. It is then time for bhangra, dhol, gidda and light-hearted flirtation. Thus Lohri is all about preparing sweet delicacies, exchanging gifts and merry making.

Related links