When I was in India, I came across a fabulous festival celebrated in Northern part of India --- Lohri. Lohri is one of the greatest festivals of Punjab and Haryana. It is celebrated on the 13th of January, a day before another magnificent fest Makar Sankranti. Yes! It was all by chance.... But I count it on my luck as I became a part of the fest that brings joy and happiness to the northern states of India during the coldest month of the year.

Being an amateur photographer, I had to visit Punjab to capture the famous Golden Temple of Amritsar in my camera. Never I knew that my trip will fall at the time when states like Punjab, Harayana , Himachal Pradesh rejoice with fun and frolic. Significantly, another factor that fallen into place was my friend Manpreet, a sikh. He not only sorted out my accommodation problem but also acquainted me with all the dimensions of the festival.

Unfurling the festive mood.........
Since I was living with my friend, Manpreet, I became a close spectator of the events that happened throughout the day. I vividly remember on that very day, Manpreet kids went to neighbor houses asking for some Lohri Looot. On questioning, Manpreet told me Lohri Loot is a custom when kids go to neighbouring house to collect eatables like sesame seeds, peanuts, jaggery, or sweets like gajak, rewri, etc. They also sung in praise of Dulha Bhatti, a Punjabi avatar of Robin Hood, who robbed the rich to help the poor, and once helped a miserable village girl out of her misery by getting her married off like his own sister.

But, to be frank, the actual fun started in the evening when a huge bonfire was set in the campus and families and friends surrounded the bonfire to have a blast. We threw puffed rice, popcorn and other munchies into the fire, and shouted "Aadar aye dilather jaye", meaning May honor come and poverty vanish!, and sung popular folk songs. Ironically, I was the one who was shouting the most though I didn't had any idea about what they were singing.

The Culture of Punjab.........
I also enjoyed the bhangra dance along with other fellows. We danced till late night with new groups joining amid the beat of drums. Some females joined us in our riot. Traditionally, women do not join Bhangra. They hold a separate bonfire in their courtyard orbiting it with the graceful gidda dance. Never I had so much fun and wearing those traditional Punjabi costumes was all the more fun.

After the ritual was over, Manpreet's family and I went to meet his friends and relatives, and distributed prasad ( A Prasad is an offerings made to god). The prasad comprises five main items: til, gajak, jaggery, peanuts, and popcorn. Winter savories are served around the bonfire with the traditional dinner of makki-ki-roti (multi-millet hand-rolled bread) and sarson-ka-saag (cooked mustard herbs).

Following the Fest............
'Maghi'is a custom celebrated the day following Lohri. Magdhi signifies the beginning of the month of Magh. According to Hindu beliefs, this is an auspicious day to take a holy dip in the river and give away charity. Sweet dishes, usually kheer, are prepared with sugar cane juice to mark the day. I remember that I had three bowls of Kheer.

In all, I had a lot of fun during Lohri. What I understood from by observation was that Lohri is a festival that celebrates fertility and the joy of life. Through Indian friends, I came to know that the fest becomes important especially in the event of birth of a male child or a marriage in the family, wherein the host family arranges for a feast and merry-making with the traditional bhangra dance along with rhythm instruments. Due to Lohri, I will always remember my stay in Punjab.