Punjabi festival
Lohri — ਲੋਹੜੀ
lohṛī
January 13 · the last night of the month of Poh, eve of Maghi
Lohri marks the end of the coldest part of winter and the ripening of the rabi crop. As night falls, families and neighbours gather around a bonfire, toss sesame, peanuts, rewri and popcorn into the flames, and sing folk songs about Dulla Bhatti — the Robin Hood-like hero of Punjabi folklore. A baby's or a newly-wed couple's first Lohri is celebrated with special fanfare.
Greetings in Punjabi
ਲੋਹੜੀ ਦੀਆਂ ਲੱਖ-ਲੱਖ ਵਧਾਈਆਂ
lohṛī dīāṅ lakkh-lakkh vadhāīāṅ
"A hundred thousand congratulations on Lohri!"
universal
ਸੁੰਦਰ ਮੁੰਦਰੀਏ ਹੋ!
sundar mundarīe ho!
"Opening line of the Dulla Bhatti Lohri song"
sung by children going door to door
Customs & traditions
- ✦Lighting a community bonfire at dusk and circling it
- ✦Offering til, rewri, peanuts and popcorn to the fire
- ✦Children going door to door singing Lohri songs and collecting treats
- ✦Bhangra and giddha around the fire
- ✦Special celebrations for a newborn's or newly-weds' first Lohri
Traditional foods
ਰਿਉੜੀ
riuṛī
Sesame-jaggery candy discs (rewri)
ਗੱਚਕ
gachchak
Brittle sesame or peanut-jaggery slab
ਮੱਕੀ ਦੀ ਰੋਟੀ ਤੇ ਸਰ੍ਹੋਂ ਦਾ ਸਾਗ
makkī dī roṭī te sarhoṅ dā sāg
Maize flatbread with mustard greens
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More Punjabi festivals
Maghi in Punjabi
January 14 · first day of the month of Magh (Makar Sankranti)
Hola Mohalla in Punjabi
March · the day after Holi, at Anandpur Sahib
Vaisakhi in Punjabi
April 13 or 14 · first day of the month of Vaisakh
Teeyan in Punjabi
July–August · the monsoon month of Sawan
Guru Nanak Gurpurab in Punjabi
October–November · full moon of Kattak (Kartik Puranmashi)
Bandi Chhor Divas in Punjabi
October–November · same day as Diwali