Book Best Restaurants and Lounges for Lohri party in Delhi NCR
People have been celebrating the Lohri festival in North India since time immemorial. Lohri is approaching soon and there is a lot to prepare. There are many amazing Lohri party places in Delhi to choose from. However, before we dive into venues, let us understand the origins of the festival.
What is Lohri
Lohri, otherwise known as the harvest festival of Punjab is about celebrating the earth’s bounty. It is a festival to give thanks to God for blessing the farm with wholesome crops and a promising harvest. Farmers sow wheat, which is the main winter crop, in October and harvest it between March and April. The first sprouts come up in January when people celebrate Lohri. This is because you can see that there is going to be a good harvest this season. People celebrate the Lohri festival in order to share the joy of having good crops during this season.
While it is primarily Punjabis who celebrate this festival, Punjabis definitely don’t live in Punjab alone. The original sentiment of the festival was only to do with harvest and crops. However, it is a hallmark of Punjabi culture and lifestyle. Therefore it is also a way to bring friends and family together in the harsh winters, in whichever city. A lot of Punjabis definitely calls Delhi their home so it is quite a popular festival in Delhi.
One of the key features of the Lohri festival is the lighting of the bonfire in which people dance around. The bonfire serves two main purposes, first it warms people up so that they can dance around it joyfully. Second, it signifies the natural element of fire to which farmers give thanks. It is a symbol of life and health and of rejuvenation and regeneration. It is the representative of the Sun, from which all life and therefore crops, are born. Lohri festival is all about celebrating the various elements of nature and the fire signifies the power nature holds.
They throw popcorn, peanuts, rivers, and other sweets into it in the form of offerings. These also act as the prasad or food offered to God is distributed among people later on. People dance around the bonfire to the beat of the dhol (a large Indian drum) to express their happiness. There are many Lohri party venues in Delhi NCR where you can dance the Bhangra, Giddha, and other Punjabi folk dances.
The Lohri festival celebrates not just harvest in the traditional sense but it is also a way to welcome all things new. When there is a new bride or a newborn baby in the family, the Lohri festival is a way to welcome them as well. This Lohri 2020, like every other year, a lot of families will welcome their new members and open their homes.
History of the Lohri festival
You can trace the origins of Lohri to a commonly occurring character in Lohri songs, “Dulla Bhatti”. During the rule of King Akbar in the Mughal era, Dulla Bhatti was a robber with a heart. He rescued many young girls who were going to be sold for the slave trade. Although he was a Muslim, he saved these Hindu girls from being sold, and that made him loved by the Punjabis. This is how he became a central character in the Lohri festival and has many songs dedicated to him.
Lohri marks the end of the winter and the onset of spring. During this time young boys and girls go from door to door singing Lohri songs featuring Dulla Bhatti. People give them small treats in exchange for the songs. Many believe that it is bad karma to turn away the children empty-handed. While some associate the beginnings of the Lohri Festival to this tale of Dulla Bhati, no one really knows how it started. Some believe that Lohri, or Lohi is the Punjabis say is named after Loi, the wife of Sant Kabir. However, there are others who believe that “loh” in Lohi refers to the iron pan used to make chapatis. This one is more closely linked to the purpose of Lohri which is to celebrate the wheat crop.
Lohri is not a unique festival, that is it is a part of a larger cultural tradition in India of celebrating the harvest. Tamil Nadu has Pongal, there is Makar Sankranti in Bengal, Assam has Bihu, Tai Pongal in Kerala, etcetera. Therefore just like all these festivals, Lohri is celebrated to welcome the upcoming harvest. In India, this connection to nature is something that people from all regions have in common. Only the names and customs are a bit different. There are many amazing Lohri party places in Delhi NCR that capture this sentiment.
Customs of the Lohri festival
Lohri is almost like the Christmas of India, the only difference being that it is about celebrating nature. It is about giving thanks for the harvest and therefore being joyful with your neighbors, friends, and family. Children go from door to door singing popular Lohri songs and getting some sweets in return. A lot of food is prepared and shared and eaten together during this time. People prepare hearty food for winters such as Makki ki roti, sarso da saag, and rau di kheer for dessert. Therefore a key component of Lohri party venues must always be delicious and wholesome winter comfort food. Lohri is very much so a local community festival. People light bonfires in every locality and come out of their houses to greet one another. They all dance around the bonfire and sing songs.
As mentioned before, this is a time to welcome new people into the family and the community. People give gifts to the new bride or the newborn baby and they all show up in their best clothes. Traditionally the farmers celebrate Lohri to mark the beginning of a new harvest year. Therefore people show off their bounty in the way they dress, the wealth of the crop is reflected in the clothes. People make sweets during Lohri to gift and share with neighbors and friends.
People usually use clay (cow dung) to make a small idol of the Goddess Lohri. The people then decorate it and light the fire. The large bonfire is lit once the sun sets and people throw sesame seeds, gur, sugar-candy, and rewaries in it to keep the fire going. Once the fire dies out people carry the embers with them to put in their fires at home.
Significance of Lohri
Lohri festival has a very important social significance of bringing people together. It is a celebration of something very simple, which is food and sustenance. Lohri reminds us of the basic principle of being grateful for the crops in the field and the food on your plate. It stands for welcoming people into your family and your community. This festival is a great way to bridge social gaps and find what we all have in common. If you are looking for Lohri celebration venues where you can find community, you have come to the right place. At its very core, Lohri like any other festival is about togetherness. It is about peace and harmony and giving thanks to nature and the earth.
In this time of materialism and fast-paced lives, it is a reminder to stay grounded. It reminds you of the values of being grateful and appreciating what you have. Furthermore, through the story of Dulla Bhatti, it fosters Hindu Muslim unity. In times when people are always at each other's throats, it reminds us that we are all brothers and sisters.
How can Sloshout help
If you are looking for a Lohri celebration near me, sloshout can help you find the perfect one. On sloshout, you can search for venues for any occasion and in any location. Simply go to the Lohri party in the type of party filter and you can see all the venues available. If you want to make it even easier, you can put in your preferred location in the location filter. This will further narrow down the choices based on what your preferred locality is.
This way you can find a great venue for celebrating Lohri from the comfort of your own home. If you are new to the city and don’t know where to go for such celebrations, sloshout is especially helpful. You can get reliable information about venues for all sorts of festivals and parties. This makes it quite convenient to find Lohri celebration places, or for any other occasion for that matter. Therefore happy browsing and happy Lohri!