Lohri 2008

Lohri is celebrated on the eve of Makar Sankranti (Maghi), above all in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Delhi, and by Punjabi families everywhere. It marks the end of the coldest part of winter and the ripening of the rabi crops, especially sugarcane and wheat.

At sunset families and neighbours gather around a large bonfire. They walk around it and offer til (sesame), gur (jaggery), rewri, gajak, peanuts and popcorn into the flames, with prayers for a good harvest and a prosperous year. The offerings are then shared as prasad.

Children go from house to house singing Lohri songs, among them the ballad of Dulla Bhatti, the folk hero remembered for protecting young women, and receive sweets and coins. The evening is filled with bhangra and giddha.

A family's first Lohri after a wedding or the birth of a child is celebrated with special joy, with relatives and friends invited to the bonfire. The next morning is Maghi, the day the Sun enters Makara and Uttarayana begins.