Significance of Lohri: The Festival of Happiness, Harvest and Punjab!
lohri significance – Lohri, one of the biggest Punjabi festival occurs every year on the winter solstice. The day marks the shortest period of daylight and the longest night of the year. It is celebrated with full swings of happiness among Hindus and Sikhs across the nation. In this article, know what is lohri, the significance of lohri, and Lohri song.
Lohri features traditional singing and dancing accompanied by a sumptuous feast and bonfire. Bonfire indicates to burn all the moments of sadness and to bring in the warmth of happiness and love. It also marks the end of the harvest in Northern India and is characterized by the worship of fire. The Lohri fire gets sanctified and is respected as a deity.
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Let’s know more about the festival-
lohri significance – Significance and tradition of lohri
significance of lohri – Wheat is the main crop in North India, which is sown in October and harvested in March or April. January is the month when fields come up with a promise of a good harvest. Since a good harvest is what every farmer wishes for, Lohri holds important significance in their lives.
Rituals of Lohri
The main ritual includes chanting prayers in front of the fire for abundant crops and taking parikramas (three rounds of the pious fire) while throwing peanuts and sweets in the sacred fire. After this ritual, ‘prasad’ is distributed that includes mainly six things- sweets like gur, gazak and revdi, peanuts, popcorn, and puffed rice.
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Mythology of Lohri
Although there are various folk stories and legends associated with the festival. The most famous of them all is the legend of Dulla Bhatti, during the reign of Akbar. According to the legend, during the reign of Akbar, there was a Raja (king) of Pindi Bhattian, Dulla Bhatti. He was respected and loved duly by tribal people as he used to rob the rich to help the poor. You may call him Indian Robin Hood. He had once helped two miserable village girls “Sundari” and “Mundari” by getting them married off like his own daughters. In the troubled moment, he helped the girls by convincing the grooms and their families to marry the girls in a forest and presented them with sugar in form of a ritual. Since then this hero is remembered each year on Lohri and the traditional song is sung as a tribute to this hero.
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Song and Dance of Lohri
Lohri celebrations are never complete without music and dance. On this occasion, children in groups move from door to door and sing the Dulla Bhatti song, which is:
“Sunder mundarie, Hoy!
Tera ki vichara, Hoy!
Dulla bhatti vala, Hoy!
Dulle di dhi viyai, Hoy! Ser shaker pai, Hoy!”
Bhangra dance by men begins after the offering to the bonfire. Dancing continues till late night with new groups joining in amid the beat of drums. Traditionally, women do not join Bhangra. They hold a separate bonfire in their courtyard orbiting it with the graceful gidda dance.
Celebration of Lohri
Since Lohri signifies the fertility and Joy of life, it holds an important significance for newly married and newborn babies symbolising family fertility.
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