Festival marks the end of the cold month…
On Friday, 13 January 2023, the auspicious festival of Lohri is celebrated. This is primarily celebrated by Punjabis and people in Haryana, and parts of Himachal Pradesh.
Also called Lohadi or Lal Loi, Lohri falls a day before Makar Sankranti. The joyous festival marks the beginning of the harvest season and the passing of the winter season.
After Lohri, warmer weather is expected with the days getting longer and nights to be shorter.
Notably, the festival of Lohri also marks the end of the cold month of Paush and the beginning of Magh month, or the arrival of spring season. It also marks the last day of the month of Maargazhi, the ninth month of the lunar calendar.
On the occasion, people light a fire outside their homes or in open spaces with wood and cow dung cakes and offer jaggery, sesame seeds, gajak, rewdi, and peanuts to the lit bonfire while doing parikrama, or circumventing around the fire.
The Lohri bonfire is said to signify the discarding of old ideas, notions, and thoughts and the welcoming of new and good thoughts, prayers, and good wishes for all.
Agni (fire) is considered an important witness in Hindu marriages and is seen to be a sustaining force of life as well. Hence, people worship and respect it during this festival.
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