Lohri is a festival connected with the
solar year. Generally, it is an accepted fact that this
festival is to worship fire. This is particularly a
happy occasion for the couples who for the first time
celebrated Lohri after th eir marriage and also the
first Lohri of the son born in a family. Children visit
homes in the neighbourhood and sing songs. One of the
famous ones is :
Sunder mundriya..ho, Tera kaun vichara..ho
Dulla Bhatti walla..ho, Dulle ne ti viahiyi..ho
Saer Shakar payi..ho, Kudi de boje payee..ho
Shallu kaun samete..ho, Chacha galee dese..ho
Chache choori kutee..ho, Zamindaran lutee..ho
Zamindara sidaye..ho, Gin-gin pole layee..ho
Ik pola reh gaya..ho, Sipahi farh ke lei gaya..ho
Aakho mundao taana.., Mukai da dana..
Aana lei ke jana..
A bonfire is lit and everyone gathers around it. Munchies,
collected from each house, go around the party and are
also thrown into the fire.
The festival assumes greater significance if there has
been a happy event in the family during the elapsed
year, like the birth of a male child or marriage.
The family then plays host to relations and friends
wherein the eats take a back seat and merry-making takes
over. Move on folks! It is then time for bhangra, dhol,
gidda and light-hearted flirtation. Liquor flows freely
and guests are served dinner. But then liquor is a modern
introduction and is not customary and celebrations depend
on how much does the pocket allow.
A popular belief in this region is that if someone
seeks a radish roasted in the bonfire lit by a family
that has reason to celebrate, then blessings are bestowed
on the family of the seeker as well.
Geographically speaking, the earth leans towards the
sun along the Tropic of Capricorn (Makara rekha) from
the day following Lohri, also known as Winter Solstice.
The earth, farthest from the sun at this point of
time, starts its journey towards the sun along its elliptical
orbit, thus heralding in the onset of spring. It is
this transition which is celebrated as Lohri in northern
India, Makara sankranti in the central part of the country
and as Pongal-Sankranti in South India.
The festival is spread over three days in South India
and also signifies the beginning of harvesting. A rath
yatra is taken out from the Kandaswamy temple in Chennai
on Pongal.
The day is celebrated as Ganga-Sagara in West Bengal
and according a belief, Hindus purify their sins by
taking bath in the Ganges. A big fair is also held on
the Sagara Island, 64 km from the Diamond harbour where
the Ganga meets the Bay of Bengal.
Call it Lohri, Pongal or Sankranti, the festival conveys
the same message -- the bond of brotherhood and the
spirit of oneness should prevail despite all odds. |
