*/|\* Lohri Di Lakh Lakh Vadhaiyyan */|\*

Posted: 8 years ago





The drop in the temperatures brings the joyous festival of Lohri. Characterized by worshiping fire on the shortest day of the year (the Winter Solstice), Lohri is a celebration of happiness and joy. For newly married couples and new mothers, this festival is all the more reason to celebrate new beginnings

According to the Hindu Calendar, Lohri falls on the last day of the month of Paush and beginning of the month of Magh. It is that time of the year when the fields glow with crops of wheat which is ready for harvest. Lohri is essentially dedicated to the forces of nature, namely the fire and the Sun God.It is believed that the Sun shifts its path northwards (Uttarayan). This lessens the severity of winters and days start getting warmer and longer. 




The origin of Lohri is associated to various legends from the past. Some legends associate it with the harvest of rabi crops, sugarcane being one of the most widely harvested and cultivated crop during this time. Sugarcane products like gur (jaggery) and gajak are offered during Lohri which explains the association of the festival to harvest of rabi crops. 

Lohri is also associated with the celestial event of Winter Solstice which is the shortest day of the year. Days increase in duration post the solstice and winter slowly culminates into spring and then summers. People from ancient times believed that the duration of days increase by the size of a sesame seed after Lohri.

The tale of Dulla Bhatti is also associated with Lohri. This Muslim Rajput who lived in Punjab during the reigns of Mughal Emperor Akbar led a rebellion against the Emperor which is commemorated as Dulle Di Var by his admirers. His tactics of social service included depriving the rich to give it to the poor. He opposed abduction and girl slavery, child marriages and the custom of dowry. He was hanged in Lahore in 1599 with the hope that his execution would bring fear to his followers, but the people kept him alive in their songs and praises for him. They sing those praises till this day on the occasion of Lohri and celebrate the spirit of Dulla Bhatti, the Robinhood of Punjab.



-RD- | somergasm. | caffeineaddict. | unitataxo. | Radhikerani |Abhinaya08 | versimilitude 
Edited by _7th_HorcruX_ - 8 years ago
Posted: 8 years ago



Punjab, famously known as the breadbasket state of India attaches a great significance to Lohri. Lohri is an auspicious festival of feasts & food and people residing in Punjab celebrate it with zeal & verve.


The Indian Trick-or-Treat!

In various places of Punjab, about 10 - 15 days before Lohri, groups of young kids go trick-or-treating to collect the logs for Lohri bonfire, grains & jaggery. The trick they use to collect their Lohri treat is tosmear a fellow group member's face with ash & tie a rope around his waist and represent him as the deterrent for people who refrain from giving Lohri items.

The boys sing local Lohri songs while asking for Lohri items. If not given enough, the householder is given an ultimatum to give more otherwise the boy tied to the rope will be loosened into the house so that he can go around smashing the clay pots and dirtying the indoors.

This culture continues on the day of Lohri as well, when kids go around collecting their treats in form of sweets like gur and gajak.

Kites to Fly High !

Lohri celebration is incomplete without kiting. People residing in Punjab fly kites on the day of Lohri & in few parts of Punjab, on the next day of Lohri (called the Maghi day) to honor the heroic-deeds of the fighters of Chali Mukte , who had sacrificed their lives while defending the attack of the imperial army.

Skies of Punjab don a colorful look on these days as people from every corner, and from every age group fill it with kites of different sizes, shapes and hues.

Bonfire celebration

The main focus of Lohri is the bonfire. In the evenings, with the setting of the sun, huge bonfires are lit in the harvested fields and in thefront yards of houses and people gather around the rising flames, circle around the bonfire (which is known as Parikrama) and throw puffed rice, popcorn and other munchies into the fire, shouting"Aadar aye dilather jaye" which translates into "May honor come and poverty vanish!"

People throw sticks of sugarcane into the fire and an aroma of burning sugar spreads in the atmosphere. After the parikrama, people meet friends and relatives, exchange greetings and gifts, and distribute prasad. Girls light fireworks and sparklers and people sing and dance till the wee hours of the morning.

 

Feasts Foods

Lohri is the festival of foods & feasts and it goes without saying that the food prepared in Punjab during this day is extravagant. Women in the families come together to prepare a huge traditional meal. It is traditional to eat gajaksarson da saag with makki di rotiradish,ground nuts and jaggery on this day . Also eaten on this day is "til rice"which is made by mixing jaggery, sesame seeds and rice.

The Prasad distributed after the parikrama around the bonfire also comprises of til, gajak, gur, moongphali, phuliya & popcorn.

 

Songs & Dances

Singing & dancing form an intrinsic part of the celebration. Lohri dances are very much a part of the heritage of Punjab. People wear their nicest & brightest clothes & come to dance bhangra, gidha, jhoomer, luddi, or kikli to the beat of dhol. 

Many traditional Lohri songs celebrating and praising the Robin hood of Punjab Dulla Bhatti are sung & everybody rejoices . This continues till the wee hours of the morning, and little children sleep in their mother's laps.

Edited by caffeineaddict. - 8 years ago
Posted: 8 years ago
Happy Lohri ❤️
Pushing up!!
Edited by caffeineaddict. - 8 years ago
Posted: 8 years ago
Happy Lohri everyone! 🥳
Posted: 8 years ago
Happy Lohri everyone! 🤗
Love the thread guys. <3
Posted: 8 years ago
Wishing everyone Happy Lohri!
Posted: 8 years ago
Lohri di lakh lakh vadhaiyyan saare aa nu. 🤗🤗

The thread is looking absolutely beautiful and it was really informative. It's making me wish I was in India for this Lohri. 😳
Posted: 8 years ago
Happy Lohri everyone. 😛

The thread looking gorgeous, especially those tags!! 😳
Posted: 8 years ago
Lohri di lakh lakh vadhaiyaan 😳

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