Lohri 2025: Date, Time, History, Significance, and Celebrations

 Lohri 2025: Date, Time, History, Significance, and Celebrations   

Lohri is a vibrant festival primarily celebrated in northern India, marking the end of winter and the onset of longer, warmer days. It is also a time to honor the harvest of crops like sugarcane, wheat, and mustard. This joyous occasion brings warmth, light, and happiness during the chilly winter months. In 2025, Lohri will be celebrated on Monday, January 13.  

Lohri 2025: Date and Time
Lohri will be observed on January 13, 2025, with the auspicious Lohri Sankranti moment occurring at 9:03 AM on January 14. The festival signifies the end of the winter season and the transition to longer daylight hours.  

History of Lohri
Lohri is a widely celebrated festival in northern India, particularly in Punjab. It marks the winter solstice, the point when the sun begins its journey toward the northern hemisphere. This transition is associated with longer days and shorter nights. Lohri is also a key harvest festival, especially for farmers, as it celebrates the successful harvest of crops like sugarcane, wheat, and mustard.  

Significance of Lohri
Lohri holds deep significance, especially for farmers. It is a time to express gratitude to Surya Devta (the Sun God) and Agni (the Fire God) for their blessings during the harvest season. The bonfire lit during the festival symbolizes fertility, prosperity, and good fortune, particularly for newlyweds and newborns. It also represents the end of the winter chill and the start of the new harvest season.  

How is Lohri Celebrated?   
The festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm, featuring traditions like lighting a bonfire, singing folk songs, and narrating tales of Dulla Bhatti, a legendary hero of the region. People gather around the bonfire to offer sesame seeds, jaggery, peanuts, and sugarcane, symbolizing prayers for health and prosperity. The celebrations also include dancing, singing, and enjoying the company of family and friends.  

Traditional Foods During Lohri
Lohri celebrations are incomplete without indulging in traditional delicacies like  gajak  (a sesame and jaggery sweet),  makki ki roti  (cornbread), and  sarson ka saag  (mustard greens). These dishes, deeply connected to the winter harvest, add to the festive joy and are relished by all.

Lohri is a time to embrace the warmth of community, celebrate nature's bounty, and welcome the promise of brighter days ahead.