Lohri falls on 13 January, the last night of the month of Poh. After dark a bonfire is lit in the courtyard or the street; everyone walks round it throwing in sesame, jaggery, rewri, peanuts and popcorn, and then the dhol starts and the bhangra and gidda go on late. The feast is sarson da saag with makki di roti. A family's first Lohri after a wedding or a birth is kept with special show.
The story
The song every child sings at Lohri is about Dulla Bhatti, a rebel of Akbar's time, who is remembered for rescuing girls from being carried off and marrying them to good men, giving a ser of sugar as dowry. Children go from door to door singing it and are given sweets and coins.
The fire marks midwinter and the sugarcane harvest. The cold is at its worst; from tomorrow the Sun turns north.
ਸੁੰਦਰ ਮੁੰਦਰੀਏ ਹੋ! ਤੇਰਾ ਕੌਣ ਵਿਚਾਰਾ ਹੋ! ਦੁੱਲਾ ਭੱਟੀ ਵਾਲਾ ਹੋ!
Sundar Mundriye, ho! Who is there to think of you, ho! Dulla of the Bhattis, ho!
The Lohri song
How the night goes
- Lohri mangnaIn the days before, children go round the houses singing for Lohri.
- The fireLit at sunset; til, gur, rewri, gajak and phulle are offered to it with the words "Aadar aye, dalidar jaye": may honour come and poverty go.
- Bhangra and giddaTo the dhol, round the fire.
- Saag and makki di rotiWith gur and ganne di kheer, rice cooked in sugarcane juice.
- Pehli LohriA newborn or a new bride is the guest of honour, and the family gives gifts to all who come.
Why this date
Lohri is the day before Maghi, the first of the solar month of Magh: 13 January in nearly every year.
Lohri in other years
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Monday | |
| 2026 | Tuesday | |
| 2027 | Wednesday | |
| 2028 | Friday | |
| 2029 | Saturday | |
| 2030 | Sunday |
More Punjabi festivals
14 JanuaryMaghiਮਾਘੀ
15 FebruaryMaha Shivaratriਮਹਾਂ ਸ਼ਿਵਰਾਤਰੀ
4 MarchHoli and Hola Mohallaਹੋਲੀ · ਹੋਲਾ ਮਹੱਲਾ
19 MarchChet Navratriਚੇਤ ਦੇ ਨਰਾਤੇ
26 MarchRam Naumiਰਾਮ ਨੌਮੀ
2 AprilHanuman Jayantiਹਨੂੰਮਾਨ ਜਯੰਤੀ
Where to see Lohri
In Punjab
- AmritsarPunjabBonfires in every lane of the old city, and kites over it through the day.
- LudhianaPunjabThe industrial city keeps Lohri on a grand scale, with community fires and bhangra.
- The villages of the MalwaPunjabWhere one fire still serves the whole village.
Across India
- JammuJammu and KashmirLohri is kept with the Chajja dance and garlands of dried fruit.
- HyderabadTelanganaThe Telugu states light the Bhogi fire on the same morning.
- GuwahatiAssamAssam burns the meji at dawn for Magh Bihu.