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Winter folk festival in India

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 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. 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.

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.

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.

The ancient significance of the festival is it being a winter crop season celebration and is linked to the Punjab region. A popular folklore links Lohri to the tale of Dulla Bhatti. The central theme of many Lohri songs is the legend of Dulla Bhatti (Rai Abdullah Bhatti) whose father was a zamindar who lived in Punjab during the reign of Mughal Emperor Akbar. Lohri also marks the beginning of the harvest season and sunny days.

The festival is celebrated by lighting bonfires, eating festive food, dancing and collecting gifts. In houses that have recently had a marriage or childbirth, Lohri celebrations will reach a higher pitch of excitement. Most North Indians usually have private Lohri celebrations, in their houses. Lohri rituals are performed, with the accompaniment of special Lohri songs. Singing and dancing form an intrinsic part of the celebrations. People wear their brightest clothes and come to dance the bhangra and gidda to the beat of the dhol. Punjabi songs are sung, and everybody rejoices. Sarson da saag with makki di roti is usually served as the main course at a Lohri dinner. Lohri holds great importance for farmers. However, people residing in urban areas also celebrate Lohri, as this festival provides the opportunity to interact with family and friends.

Lohri is celebrated with a bonfire. The lighting of bonfires during this winter festival is an ancient tradition. Ancient people lit the bonfire to reignite the return of longer days. In Punjab, Lohri is marked by eating sheaves of roasted corn from the new harvest. The January sugarcane harvest is celebrated in the Lohri festival. Sugarcane products such as gurh and gachak are central to Lohri celebrations, as are nuts which are harvested in January. The other important food item of Lohri is radishes which can be harvested between October and January. Mustard greens are cultivated mainly in the winter months because the crop is suitable to the agro climatic conditions. Accordingly, mustard greens are also winter produce. It is traditional to eat Gajak, Sarson da saag with Makki di roti, radishes, ground nuts and jaggery. It is also traditional to eat til rice, which is made by mixing jaggery, sesame seeds and puffed rice. In some places, this dish, more like a snack, is named tilcholi.

Lohri in Jammu is special because of various additional traditions associated with it like Chajja making and dancing, Hiran dance, preparing Lohri garlands. Young children prepare a replica of a peacock which is known as Chajja. They carry this Chajja and go from one house to other house celebrating Lohri. In and around Jammu, th special Hiran dance is performed. Selected houses which have auspicious ceremonies prepare eatables. Children wear special garlands made of groundnuts, dry fruits and candies on Lohri day.

In various places of the Punjab, about 10 to 15 days before Lohri, groups of young and teenage boys and girls go around the neighbourhood collecting logs for the Lohri bonfire. In some places, they also collect items such as grains and jaggery which are sold, and the sale proceeds are divided amongst the group. In some parts of Punjab, there is a popular trick–or–treat activity which is engaged in by boys. They select a group member and smear his face with ash and tie a rope around his waist. The idea is for the selected person to act as a deterrent for people who refrain from giving Lohri items. The boys sing Lohri songs asking for Lohri items. If not enough is given, the householder will be given an ultimatum to either give more or the rope will be loosened. If not enough is given, then the boy who has his face smeared will try to enter the house and smash clay pots or the clay stove. the requests for treats increases. a tradition common in winter solstice celebrations. It is traditional to offer guests til, gachchak, gur, moongphali (peanuts) and phuliya or popcorn. Milk and water are also poured around the bonfire by Hindus to thank the Sun God and seek his continued protection. Among some sections of the Sindhi community, the festival is traditionally celebrated as Lal Loi. On the day of Lal Loee children bring wood sticks from their grandparents and aunties and light a fire burning the sticks in the night with people dancing and playing around the fire. The festival is gaining popularity amongst other Sindhis where Lohri is not a traditional festival.

Historically, during the 19th century, revenue for winter crops was collected either on Lohri or Maghi.

Lohri is celebrated to denote the last of the coldest days of winter. The festival is celebrated in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and the Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir since Mughal times. The festival is observed as Lal Loi in the Sindhi community.

Festivals analogous to Lohri are celebrated in various regions around the world. During Christmastide celebrations, Christian parishioners often hold candles during the hymn Silent Night at church services, and at home yule logs are burnt: "as the fire grew brighter and burned hotter, and as the log turned into ashes, it symbolized Christ's final and ultimate triumph over sin." The festival of Hogmanay is celebrated on New Year's Day. The fire festival of Stonehaven in Scotland is the direct descendant of lighting winter solstice bonfires. Another event is observed every 11 January when the flaming Clavie (a barrel full of staves) is carried round in Burghead and is wedged on the Doorie Hill. When it is burnt out, people take the smouldering embers to bring good luck for the coming year.