People in Punjab and Haryana, particularly those from the Hindu and Sikh communities, celebrate the auspicious festival of Lohri with great fanfare. Lohri, often referred to as Lohadi or Lal Loi, occurs a day before Makar Sankranti.
On this day, people set fire outside their houses or in public areas using wood and cow dung cakes, and then perform Parikrama around the fire while offering sesame seeds, jaggery, gajak, rewdi, and peanuts. Additionally, they gather the crops and sacrifice the bhog they prepared from them to the fire.
When will Lohri be celebrated this year?
The precise day on which Lohri should be observed is unclear this year. Many people are uncertain as to whether it will be celebrated on January 13 or 14. The festival of Lohri will take celebrated on coming Saturday i.e., January 14, 2023, according to Drik Panchang. Makar Sankranti will thus fall on January 15, 2023 (Sunday).
Time and date of Puja:
In addition, the Brahma Muhurta will last from 5:27 to 6:21 am and the Lohri Sankranti tithi will occur at 8:57 pm.
Significance of Lohri
Lohri is a significant event that basically commemorates the planting and harvesting of crops. It also commemorates the start of warmer weather since the nights grow shorter and the days get longer following Makar Sankranti, a day after Lohri. The bonfire that is lighted during this festival's festivities symbolizes the same concept.
People celebrate Lohri by lighting a fire outside their homes, offering gratitude to the Sun God (Surya Devta) and Fire God (Agni Devta), and wishing for healthy agricultural production in the future year. Additionally, they provide bhog produced from harvested crops as well as rewadi, groundnuts, jaggery, gajak, and peanuts for the Lohri bonfire.
Along with singing and dancing to the sounds of dhol, people perform a parikrama around a fire during the Lohri celebrations.
