The festival of Lohri – Punjab’s biggest celebrations!!

Today, on January the 13th, it’s the festival of Lohri. When I reached office, everyone was wishing each other when someone asked why do people celebrate Lohri? While explaining to him I had an idea: why not put some basic facts about Lohri on my blog. As usual basic Google Search came to my rescue and here it is – a small compilation of facts about Lohri. (Please excuse me if it reads like an essay written in school).


Lohri is an extremely popular winter festival in India, especially North India. Lohri is usually celebrated in the outdoors by friends and family who get together and have a large bonfire at sunset, toss sesame seeds, gur, sugar-candy and rewaries in it, sit round it, sing, dance till the fire dies out. In houses that have recently had a marriage or childbirth, Lohri celebrations will reach a higher pitch of excitement. Lohri signifies onset of intense winter in Punjab and surrounding areas. Cold weather is good for wheat hence farmers celebrate Lohri so that their crops lead to a good harvest. In cities like Delhi, which have a predominant Punjabi population, Lohri is celebrated to denote the last of the coldest days of winter.

The origin of the name Lohri may be traced to folklores. Some believe that Lohri has derived its name from Loi, the wife of Sant Kabir, for in rural Punjab Lohri is pronounced as Lohi. Others believe that Lohri comes from the word 'loh', a thick iron sheet tawa used for baking chapattis for community feasts. Another legend says that Holika and Lohri were sisters. While the former perished in the Holi fire, the latter survived. Eating of til (sesame seeds) and rorhi (jaggery) is considered to be essential on this day. Perhaps the words til and rorhi merged to become tilorhi, which eventually got shortened to Lohri.

Singing and dancing form an intrinsic part of the celebrations. The central character of most Lohri songs is Dulla Bhatti, a Muslim highway robber who lived in Punjab during the reign of Emperor Akbar. Legendary stories are associated with the brave Dulla Bhatti. He used to rob rich to help the poor and needy. It is believed that Dulla had restored the prestige of an innocent girl whose modesty was outraged by a wealthy Zamindar. There are various versions of the actual story. Some traditions say that Dulla had adopted this girl as his daughter and arranged her marriage in the Jungles of ‘Saandal Bar’. As there was no priest nearby to chant the Vedic Hymns and solemnize the marriage Dulla had lit a bonfire and composed an impromtu song, “Sunder Mundriye Tera Kaun Vichara ! Dulla Bhatti Wala Ho! Dullaeh Di Teeh Viahi Ho! Ser Shakar Payi !” The bride and the groom were asked to take pheras of the bonfire as Dulla sang this hilarious song. Yet another tradition says he had safely rescued a poor girl from the clutches of a Mughal general and later arranged her marriage. Later on people collectively composed this Lohri song in honor of his chivalrous deed. Dulla Bhatti sacrificed his life fighting the Mughals, in one of the battles. Besides robbing the rich, he rescued Hindu girls being forcibly taken to be sold in slave market of the Middle East. He arranged their marriages to Hindu boys with Hindu rituals and provided them with dowries. Understandably, though a bandit, he became a hero of all Punjabis. So every other Lohri song has words to express gratitude to Dulla Bhatti.

There are many songs associated with Lohri, the most one being “Sunder Mundriye”. But, one song I found on the net which I found really funny. So sharing it over here:

“Mukai da dana, Aana lei ke jana…
hulle hulare
asi ganga chale
sas sora chale
jeth jathani chale
dyor darani chale
pairi shaunkan chali
hulle hulare


asi ganga pohnche
sas sora pohnche
jeth jathani pohnche
dyor darani pohnche
pairi shaunkan pohnchi
hulle hulare

asi ganga nahte shava or hulle
jeth jathani nahte
dyor darani nahte
pairi shaunkan nahtii
hulle hulare


shaunkan paili pauri
shaunkan duji pauri
shaunkan tiji pauri
maiti dhakka ditta
shaukan vichhe rud gayi
hulle hulare


sas sora ron
jeth jathani ron
dyor darani ron
paira oh wi rove

main kya tusi kyon ronde
tvade jogi main batheri
mainu dyo badhaiyaan ji
Hulle Hullare”

Translation

“We set off to have a holy bath in the Ganges
Mother and father in law tagged along
Elder brother and sister in law tagged along
Younger brother and sister in law tagged along
But that bitch my co-wife too latched on

We reached the bank of the Ganges
Mother and father in law landed up
Elder brother and sister in law landed up
Younger brother and sister in law landed up
But that bitch my co-wife too landed up there

We bathed in the Ganges
Mother and father in law had a bath
Elder brother and sister in law had a bath
Younger brother and sister in law had a bath
But that bitch my co-wife too had a bath

Co-wife climbed the first step
Co-wife climbed the second step
Co-wife reached the third step
I gave her a shove
Co-wife drowned in the stream

Mother and father in law wail
Elder brother and sister in law wail
Younger brother and sister in law wail
But that bastard also wailed

I said why do you wail
I am good enough for you
Congratulate me
I have returned after drowning my co-wife”