Mon Jan 13 16:52:34 UTC 2025: ## Lohri Festival Celebrated Across Punjab and Neighbouring States
**Chandigarh, January 13, 2025** – The vibrant harvest festival of Lohri was celebrated with fervor across Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and parts of Jammu today. The festival, marked by the ceremonial burning of a bonfire, saw communities gather to partake in traditional rituals and festivities.
According to the Panchang, the auspicious time for lighting the Lohri bonfire was between 5:34 PM and 8:12 PM on January 13th. Devotees performed seven or eleven parikramas (circumambulations) around the sacred fire. Offerings of til (sesame seeds), jaggery, rewari (a sweet treat), gajak (a brittle sweet), and peanuts were cast into the flames. Following the ritual, participants enjoyed traditional food like rewari, peanuts, popcorn, and makki di roti (cornbread) with sarson da saag (mustard greens). Traditional Lohri songs and dances accompanied the celebrations.
The festival’s origins are linked to the legendary folk hero Dulla Bhatti, who, during the reign of Akbar, is said to have rescued and married off girls who were being sold into forced marriages. His story is traditionally recounted during Lohri celebrations.
First Piper 