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Lohri 2025: According to Drik Panchang, Lohri will be celebrated on Monday, January 13.
Lohri is traditionally observed to pray for a fruitful harvest. (Image: Shutterstock)
Lohri is celebrated with immense enthusiasm on January 13. This joyous festival is observed in North Indian states, including Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir. Lohri has tremendous cultural significance since it serves as a unifying force, bringing people together and enjoying the night.
Families and communities light bonfires, sing and dance to the beat of traditional folk music, and indulge in festive foods. Lohri, also known as Lohadi or Lal Loi, takes place on the day preceding Makar Sankranti.
As the festival approaches, let’s know the correct date, puja timings, history, significance, rituals, and importance of bonfires.
Lohri 2025: Is Lohri on January 13 or January 14?
Like in previous years, there seems to be uncertainty surrounding the date for Lohri. There are debates over whether the festivities should be observed on January 13 or January 14.
Now, as per Drik Panchang, Lohri is officially scheduled for celebration on Monday, January 13. This implies that Makar Sankranti is expected to occur on Tuesday, January 14.
Lohri 2025: Puja Timings
According to Drik Panchang, the puja timings for this year’s festival are as follows:
- Purnima Tithi: Upto 03:56 AM on January 14, 2025
- Brahma Muhurta (Auspicious Timings): 05:27 AM to 06:21 AM
- Abhijit Muhurta (Auspicious Timings): 12:09 PM to 12:51 PM
Lohri 2025: History
Marking the end of the sowing season of winter crops and the onset of longer days, Lohri is traditionally observed to pray for a fruitful harvest. People offer prayers to the Sun god and Fire God for agricultural prosperity and abundant harvesting of the crops sown before the winter season.
However, one folklore about this festival is linked to the tale of Dulla Bhatti. It is believed that Dulla Bhatti lived in Punjab during the reign of Mughal Emperor Akbar. He emerged as a hero in the state for rescuing Hindu girls from being forcibly taken and trafficked as slaves in Middle Eastern markets.
Among the girls saved were Sundri and Mundri, both of whom have become the theme of a popular folk song and a theme of Punjab folklore as well.
Lohri 2025: Significance
Lohri marks the transition from longer nights to warmer days, symbolising the changing season. During Lohri celebrations, the offerings presented to the fire signify deep respect and appreciation, while the fire itself serves as a symbol of the strength and energy of the Sun.
This festival holds special significance for the newly married couple or the newborn child in the family as families and relatives gather together to celebrate their first Lohri.
Lohri 2025: Rituals
- On the night of Lohri, families come together and light a bonfire around which they gather to offer prayers.
- People offer sesame seeds, gur (jaggery), and popcorn to the God of fire and also dance around to celebrate the harvest season on dhol beats.
- Later, til (sesame seeds), sugarcane, and jaggery are distributed among friends and family, and traditional Lohri songs are chanted.
- This is the perfect time when families come together to celebrate nature’s abundance and look forward to the blessings of the coming season.
Lohri 2025: Celebrations
- In this festival, people exchange beautiful Lohri messages, wear new dresses, greet each other, circle around the bonfire, and dance to the rhythmic beats of the dhol.
- Moreover, people sing together special Lohri songs and folklore. After the fun and frolics, sweet treats like peanuts, gajak, popcorn, and rewari are distributed and offered to the fire god.
- In addition, families cook scrumptious festive dinners like makki ki roti and sarson ka saag and eat them together.
- At many places in Punjab, boys and girls go around the neighbourhood about 10 to 15 days before Lohri to collect logs for the holy bonfire.
- They also collect items such as grains and jaggery, which are then divided amongst the group.
Lohri 2025: Importance of Bonfire
Bonfires are vital in Lohri as the celebrations revolve around it, adding warmth and joy in the cold winter night.
According to the folklore of Punjab, the flames of the bonfire lit on Lohri carry the messages and prayers of the people to the sun deity, who brings warmth to the globe and helps crops grow.
In exchange, the sun god blesses the land, bringing an end to the days of gloom and cold. The following day, people celebrate Makar Sankranti with full fervour.
For some, the bonfire symbolically indicates that the bright days are ahead and serves as a carrier for people’s prayers to the sun god, while for others, it’s simply a great excuse to party.
- Location :
Amritsar, India
