Lohri!! The Harvest Festival of Punjab

In Indian prevails the diversity, be it the diverse religion, culture, festivals, geographical lands or anything. Being the land of diversity, India is perhaps the only nation that witnesses the diverse occasion, and many times, the same festival gets celebrated in different cultures with the different names, and this is why being so diverse in nature, we are united as a nation.

Lohrifestival is one of the prominent festivals celebrated in the Sikh community, and it is known as the festival of harvest. The harvest festival is celebrated in almost every culture that blooms in India with other names like Pongal, Bihu, or Sankranti. The festival of Lohri is celebrated in amidst the harvesting of rabi crops. Though the Sikh community is spread across the world, the real enthusiasm of celebrating Lohri can be best seen in the state of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and other north states of the country.

Why is Lohri celebrated?

Celebrated on the 13^th January every year, this harvest festival is celebrated to mark the end of the highest winter days and is the shortest day of the entire year. As mentioned above, the harvest festival is celebrated with different names in almost every culture prevailing in India, Lohrifestival is just not the harvest festival but it has a lot of cultural and economic significance for Punjab. 

Punjab is the state that is said to be responsible for feeding the entire nation because the state is traditionally known as an agriculture region. Punjab has the most fertile and the five rivers that flow in its territory is the reason that the state produces the maximum crops. The independence and the impact of Green Revolution contributed to a great extent to make Punjab the richest state in the entire country. The maximum output from the farming lands and blessed with the prosperity from the agriculture, the harvest festivalLohrihas more significance for the Punjab people than it has to any other culture.

The importance of festival can also be realized by its mention in the Sikh’s holy book “Guru Granth Sahib.” The book considers Lohri as the most positive time of the entire year.

No wonder that the Lohri celebration is the best in Punjab. Lohri wishes are not only manifested in words, but in gestures too. 

Celebration of Lohri

Lohriis celebrated with great enthusiasm and energy in Punjab precisely. The Sikh people perform many rituals that are running from the ancient time. The main essences of the rituals that get performed to celebrate Lohri are mentioned below.

·         The bonfire

This is the most important ritual of Lohri and has a lot of importance. Not just Lohri, but different cultures celebrating the harvest festival have the ritual of lighting bonfire. In Sikh community, people light abonfire in the evening on the day of the Lohri celebration. People circle around the bonfire and pray to the God of Fire to bless them with the good harvest the next year. While circling around the bonfire, people throw popcorn, rice, and other stuff into the fire. After the ritual of circling around the bonfire gets over, people sing folksongs. The bonfire has the immense importance for the newlyweds and the newborn babies.

·         Singing and Dancing

Singing and dancing are very common and important to show the joy of the Lohri celebration. One can witness the traditional dance of Punjabi people, Bhangra. People continue dancing, mainly the men, till late night. Singing folksongs and playing traditional drums are a part of thecelebration.

·         Delicacies

The entire celebration is incomplete without eating the delicacies that are prepared. The essence and aroma of the traditional dishes run in the air. The happy Lohri day is made happier with the tasty food cooked at every home.

Lohri is not merely a festival of eating and dancing for the Sikh community, but it has a strong relation to the culture, economy, and their tradition. So, wish you all a very happy Lohri. May your Lohri 2017 will be prosperous! Avail the best happy Lohri wishes to wish happy Lohri in Punjab on Lohri festival 2107 online. 

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