Happy Lohri 2023: Interesting Facts You Need To Know About The Festival

With the beginning of the Gregorian Calendar and New Year, the first month of the year, January; is all set to celebrate various festivals. The month is full of festivities in different parts of India. Basically, it is the month that showcases the passing of the winter apex and is all set to welcome the spring season in India. The festival is significant in many ways. Lohri is the folk festival of the state of Punjab, that is celebrated with huge pomp and show and is widely celebrated as Harvest Festival in Northern India. Nowadays, Lohri is all about bonfires, expensive cuisines, food baskets, and dancing to the music of hit chartbusters. But, do you know what a holy bonfire signifies in the traditional sense, and why people gather around it after sunset? Well, it has a deeper significance, which is all about expressing thanks to the almighty while dancing and feasting to the rhythms of the dhol.

Lohri, which takes place on the night before Makar Sankranti, is a traditional winter folk festival from Punjab that is widely observed in northern India. Farmers from all around the country attend this annual harvest festival. As part of the harvest ritual, foods such as til (black sesame seeds), gur (jaggery), gajak, popcorn, and peanuts are offered to the fire. Lohri is also associated with the shortest day and longest night of the year, known as the 'Winter Solstice.' It actually signifies the end of winter and the arrival of spring. Here are some interesting facts about Lohri that you should know.

The Lohri Concept

Many people are unaware that the word Lohri derives from the words 'Tilohri,' which means sesame or 'til' and 'rorhi,' which means jaggery or 'gur'. The celebration was eventually known as Lohri. These two culinary items are thought to help detoxify the body and provide fresh energy for the New Year. As a form of gratitude to nature, foods such as jaggery, gajak, and til ki chikki are fed to the fire.

The Significance Of Bonfire

Offering food to the God of Fire on this day is thought to help remove any negativity from one's life and bring wealth. Lord Agni is represented by the bonfire here. People pray to Lord Agni for blessings, prosperity, and happiness after presenting food to the almighty.

Circumambulating The Sacred Bonfire

On Lohri, it is also believed that circumambulating the sacred fire will bring fortune. This festival is especially important for new brides in Punjab. Many devotees believe that their prayers and problems will be answered quickly and that their lives will be filled with joy.

Harvest Season

For Punjabi farmers, Lohri is the start of the new year. Farmers, on this day, pray and give thanks for their crops to Lord Agni to bless their land with prosperity before beginning the harvest. While walking around the fire, they chant "Aadar aye dilather jaye," which means "may honor come and poverty disappears."

Lohri Foods

Winter foods are cooked and enjoyed on this day, without which Lohri is incomplete. Sarson da saag and makki di roti, til ki barfi, gur ki roti, makhane ki kheer, panjiri, pinni, till laddoo, gondh laddoo, and other classic Punjabi dishes are on the menu on this day.

Along with the festivities of Lohri in Northern India, the day is solemnized in many other states of India as well. The basic essence remains the same across the country- cherishing and celebrating the Harvest Culture of India. From North to South and from East to West, the day is celebrated in different forms with great enthusiasm and celebrations. In the Northern part of India, it is popularly known as Lohri. In the state of Gujarat, the occasion is known as Uttarayan, where the people of the state indulge in flying colorful kites and wish each other by offering til-gur sweet. In the state of Assam, the day is observed as Bihu (Bhogali Bihu), which again admires the Agricultural importance in India. Makar Sankranti is another name for celebrating the Harvest and Agricultural aspects of India, in the state of Odisha, Karnataka, West Bengal, and others. In the state of Bihar, the occasion is observed as Dahi Chura. In the state of Uttar Pradesh, the day is celebrated as Khichdi. In the state of Tamil Nadu, the day is applauded as Pongal, which again cherishes the Harvest Festivities in India.