THIS HARVEST festival is meant to celebrate the harvesting of Rabi crops and indulge in festivities. The festival also celebrates the fertility of human race and special festivities are held for the first Lohri of new brides and newborn babies.

In rural Punjab, one can find children going from door to door in their neighbourhoods singing and asking for fire wood, money and eatables. After collecting money, and things such as pop corn, sesame seeds, peanuts, puffed rice, jiggery and gachak, children also sing in front of the doors of their neighbours in praise of Dulha Bhatti (our own Desi Robin Hood) who had helped a poor village girl by marrying her off like his own sister. In the evening, children gather around bon-fires to partake their collected eatables.

In Punjab, the wheat crop is in full bloom in January and farmers harvest it in the month of March. They celebrate Lohri during the leisure period before harvesting their crops. Adults spend most of their time participating in traditional folk songs and dances such as Bhangra and Giddha. At many places, during the bon-fire, makki-di-roti and sarson-da-saag are also served.