Lohri is a harvest festival celebrated in Punjab Haryana and other other parts of India. It marks the end of winter and the arrival of harvest of Rabi crops.
The heart of Lohri celebrations lies in the tradition of lighting a bonfire, symbolizing the triumph of good over evil, prosperity and harvesting of crops.
People offer prayer and perform Parikrama around the bonfire. They also offer gajak, til, gur, peanuts as part of puja rituals. Families host a get-together and greet each other with delicious winter-special delicacies like ‘rewri’, ‘gajak’, and ‘peanuts’.
According to folklore, during the Mughal emperor Akbar’s rule in Punjab, a decoit named Dulla was regarded as a daring guy because of his strength and courage. He had liberated the slave girls and arranged their weddings. Since then, people are celebrating the festival of Lohri with remembrance to Dulla Bhatti and his adventures with Sundari and Mundri.
People celebrates the festival with the Sunder Mundeiye folksong having a special place in their hearts. The song goes like-
Sunder mundriye ho!
Tera kaun vicharaa ho!
Dullah Bhatti walla ho!
Dullhe di dhee vyayae ho!
Ser shakkar payee ho!
Kudi da laal pathaka ho!
Kudi da saalu paata ho!
Salu kaun samete!
Chache choori kutti! zamidara lutti!
Zamindaar sudhaye!
Bade bhole aaye!
Ek bhola reh gaya!
Sipahee far ke lai gaya!
Sipahee ne mari itt!
Sanoo de de Lohri, te teri jeeve jodi!
Bhaanvey ro te bhaanvey pitt!