LOHRI

Legend  ❘  Video & Lyrics

January Festivals

Information

Lohri is a very popular festival of Punjab which is celebrated in the middle of January. Lohri marks the end of winter on the last day of Paush and beginning of Magha when the sun changes its course.

It is associated with the worship of the sun and fire and is observed by all communities with different names. On this day there is a big excitemnet in whole punjab and there exists feeling of jubilation all over.

This is the best harvest time and there is atmosphere of happines and satisfaction. The festival of Lohri signifies the harvesting of the Rabi crops.

Consuming the preparations of til (sesame seeds) especially the 'Laddoos' and rorhi (jaggery) is considered to be essential on this day. It is assumed that the word Lohri is derived from the combination of Til and Rohri.

Lohri Special Sweets

Harvested fields and front yards are litup with flames of bonfires, around which people gather to meet friends and relatives and sing folk songs. For Punjabis it is also an example of their love for celebrations.

Lohri celebrates fertility and the joy of life. It is said that,the name,Lohri is derived from Loi, the wife of Sant Kabir, for in rural Punjab Lohri is pronounced as Lohi.

Others say that Lohri comes from the word 'loh', a thick iron plate,called tava,which is used for roasting rotis for the community feasts.

As per a legend, Holika(Holi) and Lohri were sisters and the former perished in the Holi fire, while the latter survived.

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Legends of Lohri

1- Sun God

Lohri is celebrated on the last day of the hindu month 'Poush', as the culminasation of winter season. However, it is believedthat the ancestors have forwarded certain sacred mantra, which help to protect from the winter cold.

This mantra was chanted to invoke the Sun God to radiate more heat to protect from the cold. Hence, as a gratitude, mantras of Sun God were chanted around a fire on the last day of 'Poush' ie winter season.

The fire created on the day of Lohri is symbolic of the homage to the Sun God.

The people sing a song on this day and celebrate the festival of Lohri.

Where have the shawls and braziers gone?
To the golden mountain Where’s the golden mountain gone?
To the sun’s ray Where has the sun’s ray gone?
To the sun Where’s the sun gone?
To the fire The fire burns, the ray warms
The snows melt, the cold days have ended.

It has been strongly believed that the emerging flames of the fire carried their message to the Sun God. Hence, on the next day morning after Lohri, on the begining of Magh, the warm rays of the Sun take away the chill from the people's body.

2- Holy fire

As per a legend, in ancient times, people lit fires to keep away flesh-eating animals and protect their livelyhood. Hence, everyone was keen to contribute to the fire.

The young boys and girls used to collect firewood from the jungle to burn. It is observed that younsters collect cow dung cakes to burn.

The Lohri bonfire symbolize the protection of oneself with the communityand as a form of fire worship. The Lohri fire is considered very holy, when couples pray for more children and parents pray for timely marriage and good husbands for their unmarried daughters.

3- Dulla Bhatti

Lohri is associated with marriage ceremonies and many Lohri songs are based on the old love story of Dulla Bhatti. As per a tale, a man rescued a girl from those cruel people, who kidnapped her.

Later on, he organized her marriage by treating her as his own daughter. Hence few songs were composed to inspire the men to protect the honor of their sisters and daughters and penalise those who try to disrespect them.

In Punjab at all places these songs (vars) of his bold act and valor are sung during the Lohri festival.

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Lohri Song Video & Lyrics

Script - English

Sunder mundriye ho! (Beautiful girl)
Tera kaun vicharaa ho! (Who will think about you)
Dullah Bhatti walla ho! (Dulla of the Bhatti clan will)
Dullhe di dhee vyayae ho! (Dulla's daughter got married)
Ser shakkar payee ho! (He gave one ser of sugar!)
Kudi da laal pathaka ho! (The girl is wearing a red suit!)
Kudi da saalu paata ho! (But her shawl is torn!)
Salu kaun samete! (Who will stitch her shawl?!)
Chache choori kutti! (Zamidara lutti! The uncle made choori!)
Zamindaar sudhaye! (The landlords looted it!)
Bade bhole aaye! ()
Ek bhola reh gaya! (Lots of simple-headed boys came!)
Sipahee far ke lai gaya! (One simpleton got left behind!)
Sipahee ne mari itt! (The soldier arrested him!)
Sanoo de de Lohri, te teri jeeve jodi!

Script - Hindi

सुंदर मुंदरिए - हो
तेरा कौन विचारा-
हो दुल्ला भट्टी वाला-हो
दुल्ले ने धी ब्याही
-हो सेर शक्कर पाई-हो
कुडी दे बोझे पाई-हो
कुड़ी दा लाल पटाका-
शालू कौन समेटे
-हो चाचा गाली देसे-
हो चाचे चूरी कुट्टी-हो
जिमींदारां लुट्ट
ी-हो जिमींदारा सदाए-हो
गिन-गिन पोले लाए-ह
इक पोला घिस गया जिमींदार वोट्टी लै के नस्स गया - हो!

'पा नी माई पाथी तेरा पुत्त चढेगा हाथी हाथी
उत्ते जौं तेरे पुत्त पोत्रे नौ!
नौंवां दी कमाई तेरी झोली विच पाई
टेर नी माँ टेर नी
लाल चरखा फेर नी!
बुड्ढी साँस लैंदी है
उत्तों रात पैंदी है
अन्दर बट्टे ना खड्काओ
सान्नू दूरों ना डराओ!
चारक दाने खिल्लां दे
पाथी लैके हिल्ल
ांगे कोठे उत्ते मोर सान्नू
पाथी देके तोर!
कंडा कंडा नी लकडियो
कंडा सी
इस कंडे दे नाल कलीरा सी
जुग जीवे नी भाबो तेरा वीरा नी,
पा माई पा,
काले कुत्ते नू वी पा
काला कुत्ता दवे वदाइया
ँ, तेरियां जीवन मझियाँ गाईयाँ
, मझियाँ गाईयाँ दित्ता दुध,
तेरे जीवन सके पुत्त
, सक्के पुत्तां दी वदाई,
वोटी छम छम करदी आई।'

'साड़े पैरां हेठ रोड, सानूं छेती-छेती तोर!'
'साड़े पैरां हेठ दहीं असीं मिलना वी नईं!'
'साड़े पैरां हेठ परात सानूं उत्तों पै गई रात!'

लोहड़ी:सुंदरिए-मुंदरिए हो, तेरा कोन विचारा हो

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Jananuary Festivals

Hindu January Festivals
Lohri	Pongal	Thaipusam
Tyagraja	Sankranti	Kanuma