Lohri is a popular winter folk festival celebrated primarily in Northern India, especially in Punjab. The festival of Lohri marks the end of winter and is a traditional welcome of longer days and the sun's journey to the Northern Hemisphere. Lohri is linked to the Punjabi calendar and is celebrated the day before the festival of Maghi. The festival of Lohri falls in the month of Poh and is set by the solar part of the lunisolar Punjabi calendar. It falls in January in the Gregorian calendar. This year, Lohri 2024 will be celebrated on Sunday, January 14. The Lohri Sankranti Moment is at 02:54 AM on January 15. Lohri festival is also known by several other names like Lohadi or Lal Loi. Scroll down to know more about the Lohri 2024 date and the significance of the popular festival of Punjab. When Is Makar Sankranti 2024? Know the Correct Date and Significance of the Harvest Festival Dedicated to the Sun God.

Lohri 2024 Date

Lohri 2024 will be celebrated on Sunday, January 14.

Lohri Significance

The significance and legends about the Lohri festival are many which link the festival to the Punjab region. The day is an official holiday in Punjab, Jammu, and Himachal Pradesh. Lohri is closely linked to the Hindu festival Makara Sankranti and it is celebrated a day before it. One of the highlights of Lohri is the traditional Punjabi folk dance called Bhangra when people perform energetic and lively dances to the beat of the dhol. January 2024 Holiday Calendar: Check Dates of Major Indian Festivals and International Events.

Lohri History and Celebrations

A popular folklore links Lohri to the tale of Dulla Bhatti. The central theme of many Lohri songs is the legend of Dulla Bhatti (Rai Abdullah Bhatti), whose father was a zamindar who lived in Punjab during the reign of Mughal Emperor Akbar.  As per records, Lohri’s mention was made by European visitors to the Lahore Darbar of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, such as Wade, who visited the Maharaja in 1832. Captain Mackeson described that Maharaja Ranjit Singh distributed clothes and large sums of money as rewards on Lohri Day in 1836. The Lohri celebration with a huge bonfire at night is also noted in the royal court in 1844.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 09, 2024 10:51 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).