Lohri

Gathering at the bonfire

As darkness settles, families and neighbours light a communal bonfire in open courtyards or village squares. People circumambulate the flames and toss in handfuls of sesame seeds, peanuts, puffed rice, jaggery and popcorn as offerings of gratitude. For many, this gesture symbolises letting go of the past year and honouring fire and the sun for warmth and fertility. Hindus often pour milk and water around the perimeter as a prayer for protection. Throughout the night, people remain by the embers, chatting, sharing seasonal treats and enjoying the warmth until the fire burns down.

Songs of Dulla Bhatti

Music is central to the festival. In Punjab, men and women dance the energetic bhangra and giddha to the rhythm of the dhol drum. Children roam from house to house in lively groups, singing traditional rhymes about Dulla Bhatti. Folk memory remembers him as a regional hero from the Mughal era who saved young girls from enslavement and arranged their marriages. Householders reward the young singers with sweets, coins and firewood for the night fire. Turning these children away without a gift is thought to bring bad luck.

Flavours of the harvest

The festival table showcases winter crops gathered from the fields. A classic festive meal consists of sarson ka saag, a stew of slow-cooked mustard greens, paired with flatbreads made from cornmeal called makki ki roti. Sugarcane harvest products are abundant, especially raw jaggery and brittle sesame candies known as gajak and rewaries. People also eat fresh winter radishes, roasted corn sheaves, and tilcholi, a snack prepared by blending puffed rice, sesame seeds and jaggery.

Regional customs and celebrations

While Punjab is the festival's heartland, local customs flourish elsewhere. In the Jammu region, children craft colourful peacock models called chajjas to carry between homes, wear garlands strung with candies and dried fruits, and perform the traditional hiran dance. In rural Punjab, teenage boys sometimes stage a playful prank, using an ash-smeared companion on a tether to persuade neighbours to give firewood. Among Sindhi communities, the day is kept as Lal Loi, where children gather wood sticks from relatives to burn in evening fires.

How Lohri is kept

In the days leading up to the festival, children collect wood, grain, and sweets across their neighbourhoods. On festival evening, families set up a central fire. Gatherers walk around the flames, tossing in sesame seeds, jaggery, peanuts and popcorn while singing. Dancers perform bhangra and giddha to drumbeats. After the fire ritual, families gather for a hearty dinner of mustard greens and corn flatbreads, paying special honour to any new brides or newborn babies in the household.

When and where

Lohri takes place once a year on the night before Maghi, also known as Makar Sankranti, usually on 13 or 14 January. Because the date follows the Hindu solar calendar, it shifts by about one day every seventy years.

The festival is widely observed across Punjab in India and Pakistan, as well as Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, and the Jammu region. It is also celebrated by Sindhi communities under the name Lal Loi.

What Lohri means

Lohri celebrates the passing of the winter solstice and the return of the sun toward the north. Throwing harvest grains into the fire represents clearing away the old year and welcoming fresh beginnings. The festival also honours family continuity, bringing special blessings to newly married couples and babies experiencing their first winter.

On the table

• Sarson ka saag
• Makki ki roti
• Gajak
• Tilcholi
• Jaggery
• Rewari
• Roasted corn
• Radishes

Flavours: Mustard Sesame

Days Lohri is marked

Lohri dates: 2026, 2027, 2028

Questions people ask about Lohri

See also

LosarThe Tibetan Buddhist New Year festival of renewal, offerings, and family feastsUgadiA South Indian New Year feast celebrating life with sweet, sour, and bitter tastesHoliA spring festival of colours and bonfires that marks the end of winter and the triumph of good over evil.Krishna JanmashtamiA Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Krishna with fasting, singing and night vigils

Good reading and sources

• Lohri legends: the tale of Abdullah Khan 'Dullah' Bhatti, the Punjabi who led a revolt against AkbarScroll.in, Article
• Bringing home the sun godDeccan Herald, Article
• In Pakistan, a bid to revive Lohri – and remember Dulla Bhatti, a forgotten folk heroThe Indian Express, Article
• How Basant ban ushered in Lohri gaiety among Punjabis of PakistanHindustan Times, Article
• Lohri legends: the tale of Abdullah Khan 'Dullah' Bhatti, the Punjabi who led a revolt against AkbarScroll.in, Article
• Bringing home the sun godDeccan Herald, Article
• In Pakistan, a bid to revive Lohri – and remember Dulla Bhatti, a forgotten folk heroThe Indian Express, Article
• How Basant ban ushered in Lohri gaiety among Punjabis of PakistanHindustan Times, Article

• Lohri on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos and video
• Wikidata recordOpen data

It may contain mistakes. Traditions differ from one family, village and community to the next, and the people who keep them know them best. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-04.