Lohri Festival

During the day, young (and some not so young) children go door to door singing many songs in praise of Dulha Bhatti, who is the the Punjabi version of Robin Hood (a thief who helps the poor and fights for their rights). The children are usually given sweets, coins, candies and some even get toys! The treats that get collected is called Lohri and are distributed on the night of the festival (January 13th).

The festival of Lohri is normally celebrated outdoors. And, because it is usually very cold during January 13th (still winter), a large bonfire is lit and people gather around it to dance, sing, eat delicious food, and have great fun. When there has been a recent birth or a child or a marriage in the family, the celebrations get cranked up a couple of notches. The family celebrating the major events in their family by giving a big party.

Sarson ka saag and makki ki roti is usually served as the main course during a Lohri celebration. It is a time for everyone in the whole village to come together and celebrate in the merry making like one large and very happy family. There is a community dinner. There is also a lot of roasted peanuts and peanut brittle to be had. There is also the gur (jaggery) and a lot of other types of sweets. There will also be an exchange of gifts.

Someone will play the dhol (large drum) while everyone gets to dance. The boys will generally dance the bhangra while the girls will do the gidda. ALmost everyone takes turns to dance around the great bonfire.

Lohri is celebrated to mark the end of winter on the last day of the lunar month of Paush, and beginning of the lunar month of Magha (around January 12 and 13), when the sun changes its course. The origin of the festival is related to Dulla Bhatti. He was a Muslim highway robber, during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Akbar, who lived in Punjab. Aside from robbing the rich (akin to Robin Hood), he would rescue the Hindu girls who were being taken by force and are to be sold as slaves in Middle Eastern markets. Dulla Bhatti would make arrangements for their marriage to Hindu boys via Hindu rituals and gave the girls their dowries. Though a bandit, he became a big hero to Punjabis.

There are some who believe that Lohri had derived its name from the wife of Sant Kabir, Loi. This is because in rural Punjab, Lohri is pronounced as Lohi. Still others believe that Lohri comes from the word "Loh". The loh is a thick iron griddle which is used to make chappatis during community festivities. A legend says that Lohri and Holika were sisters and while Holika perished in the Holi fire, Lohri survived.