Mumbai, January 13: With Folklore, Bhangra, Sarso da Sag, myth- Lohri, one of the most colorful festivals in the country is back to bring cheer to people across India, especially North India. Bidding bye to winter, Lohri welcomes the longer days of summer. This festival is highly associated with the harvest of the rabi crops. North India is submerged to welcome a new harvest season.
Though various states celebrate Lohri with various rituals, Punjab is the most prominent one to mark this festival greatly. As most of the parts of Punjab faces a strong intense cold during December, January, they gather around a bonfire to bid bye to chilling winter. It is believed that as the winter solstice passes the nights gradually shorten "by the grain of one sesame seed. This festival resembles pagan festivals as it is dedicated to fire and the sun, thanking warmth on earth. For peasants, Lohri marks the beginning of a new financial year because on this day they settle the division of the products of the land between themselves and the tillers.
To taste the Lohri flavor, one must go Punjab once in life to witness the energy, fervor in the festive air. The famous Vagndras will make you move your body with the rhythms. Punjabi women move around bonfire singing "Sunder mundriye ho!" The folklore is the story of Dulla Bhatti known as Robin Hood of Punjab who once led a revolt against Akbar. Dulla Bhatti used to supposedly steal from the rich, and rescue poor Punjabi girls being taken forcibly to be sold in slave markets. After rescuing them, he used to arrange their marriage from stolen money. Amongst these girls were Sundri and Mundri, who have now come to be associated with Punjab's folklore, Sunder Mundriye.
People throughout India love celebrating the festival of Lohri but with different names and different tradition, customs and rituals. People celebrate the month and the bountiful harvest it brings Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Bhugali Bihu in Assam, Bhogi in Andhra Pradesh and Sankranti in Karnataka, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.