Lohri

Lohri is a popular winter Dogra and Punjabi folk festival celebrated primarily in Northern India. The significance and legends about the Lohri festival are many and these link the festival to the Duggar region and Punjab region. It is believed by many that the festival marks the passing of the winter solstice. Lohri marks the end of winter, and is a traditional welcome of longer days and the sun’s journey to the Northern Hemisphere by people in the northern region of the Indian subcontinent. It is observed the night before Maghi.

Lohri is an official holiday in Punjab, Jammu and Himachal Pradesh. The festival is celebrated in Delhi and Haryana but is not a gazetted holiday. In all these areas, the festival is celebrated by Sikhs, Hindus and whoever wants to enjoy. In Punjab, Pakistan it is not observed at official level; however, Sikhs, Hindus and some Muslims observe the festival in rural Punjab and in the cities of Faisalabad and Lahore. Muhammad Tariq, former director of Faisalabad Arts Council, believes it is important to keep the festival alive as Lohri is celebrated in Pakistan Punjab and in Indian Punjab.

Date
Lohri is celebrated one day before Maghi (Makar Sankranti) and its date is determined as per Hindu Solar Calendar. The date of Lohri changes every 70 years. In the late 19th century, Lohri used to fall on 11th January. In the mid 20th century, the festival used to be celebrated on 12th January or 13th January. In 21st century, Lohri generally falls on 13th or 14th January. Lohri in the year 2024 will fall on 14th January as Maghi will be falling on 15th January.

History

Lohri Bonfire
Lohri is mentioned by European visitors to the Lahore darbar of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, such as Wade who visited the Maharaja in 1832. Captain Mackeson described Maharaja Ranjit Singh distributing suits of clothes and large sums of money as rewards on Lohri day in 1836. The celebration of Lohri with the making of a huge bonfire at night is also noted in the royal court in 1844.

The accounts of Lohri celebration in royal circles do not discuss the origins of the festival. However, there is much folklore about Lohri. Lohri is the celebration of the arrival of longer days after the winter solstice. According to folklore, in ancient times Lohri was celebrated at the end of the traditional month when winter solstice occurs. It celebrates the days getting longer as the sun proceeds on its northward journey. The day after Lohri is celebrated as Makar Sankranti.

Lohri is an ancient mid-winter festival originating in regions near the Himalayan mountains where winter is colder than the rest of the subcontinent. Hindus and Sikhs traditionally lit bonfires in their yards after the weeks of the Rabi season cropping work, socialized around the fire, sang and danced together as they marked the end of winter and the onset of longer days.

Punjabi woman waiting to participate in Gidda
However, instead of celebrating Lohri on the eve of when winter solstice actually occurs, Punjabis celebrate it on the last day of the month during which winter solstice takes place. Lohri commemorates the passing of the winter solstice.