LOHRI BONFIRE FESTIVAL FROM PUNJAB, INDIA!!!

   For the people of Punjab, the festival of Lohri holds a great significance, as it marks the harvesting season and the end of the winter season.  The main event is the making of a huge bonfire which is symbolic of the homage to the Sun God for bringing in warmth.  Celebrated on January 13th every year.  Lohri festivities are associated with the harvesting of the Rabi crops.  There is a special significance attached to the celebration of Lohri as this day the sun enters the rashi (zodiac) of Makara (Capricorn), this is considered auspicious as it signifies a fresh start.

   Lohri has special significance for the agriculturists because, it marks the beginning of a new financial year, on this day they settle the division of the products of the land between themselves and the tillers.  Lohri assumes greater significance, if there has been a happy evet in the family, such as the birth of a child or a marriage in the past year.  The family then plays host to relatives and friends and "making merry" is the order of the day.  Most people participate in dancing the bhangra ( a folk dance) to the accompaniment of the dholak.

    The festival of Lohri is linked to the atmospheric physical changes.  Lohri celebrations generate a lot of bonhomie as people sit around the bonfire, talking, laughing, exchanging pleasantries, praying for prosperity, even as they make offerings of til (gingelly), moongphali (peanuts) and chirwa (beaten rice) to the burning embers.  All these accounts and references point to the significance of saluting the Sun.  The Sun is a symbol of plenty it gives us all we need.  Fire sanctifies their endeavors  for a good life on the one hand and destroys evil spirits on the other.

The First Lohri

   On the first Lohri of the recently wedded bride or a new born child, people give offerings of dry fruits, revri (a kind of candy made of sugar and sesame seeds), roasted peanuts, Sesame Ladoo and other foods to the fire, as well as sharing them with their family and friends gathered around the fire.  They perform the "Bhangra" dance, in groups around the fire.  The dancing and singing continues well into the night.  The Bhangra dance has rhythmic movements of the feet, shoulder and body, with outstretched hands and a lot of clapping by women partners.  Food eaten, is generally of vegetarian and traditionally, no alcohol is supposed to be consumed.

The First Lohri of a Bride

   The first Lohri of a bride is considered very important.  It is celebrated with increased fervor and on a larger scale.  The family of the newly wedded wife and husband gather around the fire wearing their best, often new clothes, decorated with beautiful Punjabi embroidery in gold and silk threads with mirror work.  The newly married woman wears new bangles, applies henna or "mehndi" on their hands and puts a colorful bindi, a decorative spot on their foreheads.  The husband also wears new clothes and colorful turbans.  The new clothes and jewelery is given to her by her new in-laws.  She wears bangles almost up to her elbows.  The mother-in-law presents heavy garments and jewelry to he new bride.  The bride remains in her in-law's house where a grand feast is arranged and all the sons and daughters, with their spouses and children and all of their close friends and neighbors are invited.  In the early evening, when all have arrived, the new bride is dressed in her best salwar suit or phaphra and is made to sit, along with her husband, in a central place where the father and mother in law perform the presentation of clothes and jewelry.  The close relatives and friends also join in and present clothes or cash to the new bride.

The First Lohri for a Newborn

   The first Lohri of a new born is also a special occasion, in which all friends and family join to celebrate.  it is preformed in the later part of the evening.  Invitations can be sent for this function, depending on how the family wants to celebrate this occasion.  The event is observed at the home of the child's parents, in the presence of close relatives, friends and well wishers.  All the guests usually bring gifts for the baby and the new mother.  The child's grandparent's give gifts to the child's paternal relatives also.
   On the first Lohri of a new born baby, the mother is attired in heavy clothes and is wearing a lot of jewelery with mehndi on her hands and feet and sits with the baby in her lap.  The family does the presentations.  The mother and father-in-law usually gives a large quantity of presents in the form of clothes and cash and others in the immediate family do so also.  The maternal grandparents also send gifts of clothes, sweets, rayveri, peanuts, popcorn's and fruits.