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Lohri "The Bonfire Festival" is related to the agricultural activities
of the farmers. Lohri is celebrated on
13th January every year in the month of Paush or Magh, a day before Makar Sankranti.
It
marks the harvesting season in Punjab and the end of the winter season. Lohri is a festival connected with the solar
year, as from this day the sun starts moving
towards Uttarayan (North).
People specially the farming community of Punjab
celebrate Lohri with a lot of zeal and enthusiasm, not only as a festival but
also as an example to show their styles and colors of life. In Punjab Lohri is
particularly a happy occasion for the couples who for the first time celebrated
Lohri after their marriage and also the first Lohri of the son born in a family.
The day begins with children collecting Lohri, which is in the form of money or
sweets. In the evening, with the setting of the sun, huge bonfires are lit with
people singing and dancing to the tune of Lohri songs.
People gather
round the bonfires, throw sweets, puffed rice and popcorn into the flames.
The celebration with the traditional
bhangra dance along with the dhol, gidda and light-hearted flirtation mark this
festival.
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