Historical Significance Of Lohri 2024

What comes to your mind when you think of the festival Lohri? Bonfire, Gajak, Sarson da saag, Makki di roti, the harvest crops, right? Well, the festival of Lohri is a well-known celebration among the Sikh and Punjab cultures. It’s a festival of joy and pleasure where all the family assemble to celebrate the end of the winter season and welcome the festival of harvest. So, let’s dig for more historical significance behind the celebration of the Lohri festival.

Date and Time for Lohri 2024

Lohri Date 2024: Sunday, January 14
Lohri Timing 2024: 02:54 AM, January 15

Astrological Significance of Lohri Festival

Lohri is a way of showing gratitude to all the farmers who work hard throughout the year to provide people with abundant crops and reaping. However, this festival is also known by the name of Lal Loi.

None of the festivals is complete without an astrological significance, so why not Lohri? According to astrology, the festival of Lohri is marked as a Hindu solstice festival because the Earth is tilted towards the Sun, touching the edges of the Tropic of Capricorn. However, during this time, the Earth starts its journey towards the Sun, which also marks the end of the freezing winter season. So, after the festival of Lohri, the spring season is set to bring new hope and joy to Hindu festivals.

Moreover, during the festival of Lohri, the ritual is started only after sunset because it is the longest night of the year. Besides that, the Lohri festival is also known as the onset of the financial year, where all the farmers are set to collect their income for the year through the winter crops they have grown and taken care of.

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Story of Holika and Lohri behind Punjab Lohri Festival

There are numerous historical stories behind the celebration of Lohri that mark the beginning of the harvest festival. However, among those comes one of the most important stories after the Dulla Bhatti story: Holika and Lohri’s short story. Now, you might wonder how Holika is connected with the festival of Lohri, but what makes it important is the relationship between the two sisters, Holika and Lohri.

So, Holika and Lohri were sisters who were asked to sit in the fire. The declaration of sitting on the fire was given by Harnakash, a great king and a yogi. So, in this situation, Holika took Pralhad and Lohri with her to sit on the fire. Holika got burned in the fire while Lohri and Pralhad survived in the trail of sitting in the fire. So, this was all about the story behind the two sisters, Holika and Lohri.

Importance of Bonfire on Lohri

The ritual of lighting a fire during the festival of Lohri where all the people from in and around the village come together to be a part of it. A bonfire is usually ignited to ask for blessing and abundance to the fire God. Moreover, people assemble in a circle around the bonfire while they offer the fire popcorn, peanuts, gajak, til, and jaggery as an offering and seek blessings.

Moreover, all the people gathered during the lighting of the bonfire on the night of Lohri exchange grains and jaggery among each other as a sign of sharing love, blessings, and happiness. Besides that, all the devotees sing traditional folk songs by singing and dancing around the bonfire. They also chant special prayers that say “Aadar Aaye, Dilather Jaaye”, meaning all the negative energies, poverty, and hurdles go away, and all the positive energy, abundance and prosperity are drawn towards them.

Why is the Lohri Folk Song Important?

This is a popular folk song sung on the day of Lohri by the people while taking a round around the fire. The folk song starts by describing and praising the beauty of the elegant and beautiful girl Mundri, whom the great Dulla Bhatti rescued. From the second line, the devotees start to honour respect and gratitude to the great Dulla Bhati, who was known to save the girls from being taken away forcefully for mischievous deeds.

The song also mentions the girl’s father, who has given her a sugarcane and her red-coloured skirt and scarf, which say, “Kudi da laal pathaka ho! Kudi da saalu paata ho!”

Further, the song talks about the people trying to find a match for the girl and how her uncle is trying to find a suitable groom. The song then mentions the zamindars the uncle forcefully robbed, and the soldiers were sent to catch them. However, in the end, people pray before the bonfire that the girl will get the desired groom for marriage and have a happy and fulfilling life.

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Folksong For Lohri Festival

Sunder mundriye ho!

Tera kaun vicharaa ho!

Dullah Bhatti walla ho!

Dullhe di dhee vyayae ho!

Ser shakkar payee ho!

Kudi da laal pathaka ho!

Kudi da saalu paata ho!

Salu kaun samete!

Chacha gali dese!

Chache choori kutti! zamidara lutti!

Zamindaar sudhaye!

Bum Bum bhole aaye!

Ek bhola reh gaya!

Sipahee far ke lai gaya!

Sipahee ne mari itt!

Paanvey ro te paanvey pitt!

Sanoo de de Lohri, te teri jeeve Jodi!

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the Lohri meaning?

The festival of Lohri marks the beginning of the longer days when the Sun moves towards the north direction. Moreover, it also marks the beginning of the harvest festival.

2. Why do we celebrate Lohri?

Lohri is celebrated as a part of the harvest festival, where the farmers and the Sun God are offered gratitude for fertile harvesting. Moreover, during this festival, people also respect and thank Dulha Bhatti for his courage.

3. Lohri is festival of which religion?

Lohri is celebrated especially in Sikhs and Hindu culture. People pray to the Sun God (Surya Devta) and the Fire God (Agni Devta) at this festival.

4. Lohri is celebrated in which month?

The harvest festival of Lohri is celebrated in the winter season, which is in January (Magha).

5. Is Lohri and Makar Sankranti same?

Makar Sankranti and Lohri are two different festivals, but the only thing common about this festival is that both are celebrated as harvest festivals. Also, Makar Sankranti is celebrated when the sun starts its journey towards the zodiac sign Capricorn, and Lohri is celebrated to mark the end of the winter season.

6. What are the things to do during Lohri?

During the Lohri festival, people gather to celebrate around the bonfires. People eat sarson ka saag, makki ki roti, gajak (Tilsakri), til-gur laddoos, gajrela, popcorns, peanuts, rewri, and gur.

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