The New Year has started and the first festival of 2023 is all set to kick in. Lohri, the popular festival of Punjab is also celebrated in many other states which symbolizes the ripening of winter crops as well as the start of a new harvesting season. The word Lohri is all about delicious food, love-filled family, friends, traditional dance, songs, a lot of enjoyment, fun, etc. The festival of Lohri is mainly celebrated in Punjab and Haryana by the mostly Sikh community. The festival falls a day before the kite-flying festival Makar Sankranti.
Lohri 2023 date and Shubh Muhurat
Normally, Lohri falls on 13th of January every year but this time it’s not the same. According to Drik Panchang, the celebration of Lohri 2023 will take place on 14th January 2023 which is Saturday. Therefore, Makar Sankranti will be celebrated on 15th January 2023 i.e. Sunday. As per the information, the Brahma Mahurat will state from 5:27 pm on 13th January 2023 till 6:21 am of 14th January 2023. The Lohri Sankranti tithi will be at 8.57 pm.
On the occasion of Lohri, people light bonfire outside the homes or at public places using wood, cow dung and ghee. Post this, a parikrama is performed around the fire where people offer sesame seeds, jaggery, gajak, rewdi, and peanuts to the fire. Apart from harvesting the crop, on Lohri food prepared from the first harvested crop is also offered to the bonfire
Lohri 2023: Historic tales
The most popular folklore associated with Lohri is that of the legend Dulla Bhatti, who had lived in Punjab during the reign of Mughal Emperor Akbar. He used to rob the rich and help the needy and poors. As per historians, once he saved a girl from the kidnappers and took care of her like his daughter. And on her wedding day, he even performed the rituals in the absence of a priest. People loved him and respected him, and began to sing the folk song "Sundar-Mundriye" every year on the occasion of Lohri.