Lohri is an auspicious festival celebrated in India and Pakistan during the winter in January. It marks the end of long winter days and welcomes the sun’s warmth. There is a famous folklore behind the festival of Lohri that is cherished on this day.

When is Lohri?

Lohri falls typically every year in January, particularly on the 13th. It is celebrated right before Maghi, also known as Makar Sankranti. Makar Sankranti has several names, like Magh Bihu, Uttarayana, Pongal, Ghughuti, Dahi Chura, and others.

This year, there needs to be clarity regarding the date to celebrate Lohri. As stated by the Drik Panchang, the festival of Lohri is on 14 January 2024, Saturday. The celebration of Lohri is also related to the sowing and harvesting crops.

After we celebrate Makar Sankranti, the days become longer, and nights turn shorter.

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What Is Lohri For Sikhs?

Talking about Lohri; is an official holiday in Punjab, Himachal and Jammu. It is celebrated in most parts of India by some Hindus, Muslims, Christians and, most importantly, Sikhs. It is said that during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Akbar, there was a person named Dulla Bhatti. His father was a prominent zamindar in Punjab. Dulla Bhatti rescued Punjabi girls being sold forcibly in the slave markets of the Middle East and became a hero. Among those girls were two girls named, Sundri and Mundri. He adopted those girls and raised them as his daughters. He married both of them without the presence of any priest. From that day on, people started singing the traditional song ‘Sundar Mundariye’ on the day of Lohri. In this classic song, they talk about the girls, Sundri and Mundri and Dulla Bhatti, who adopted them.

How to celebrate Lohri?

On the day of Lohri, people light up a bonfire at dawn outside their homes or in open spaces. Children go from house to house singing the traditional song and asking for Lohri. People offer gajjak, peanuts, grams, gur (jaggery), popcorn, and rewari to kids and even offer some of these on the bonfire.

Products you can use from IndianShelf:

While celebrating Lohri and Makar Sankranti, you can use certain products on our website to set up for the event.

To make a sitting area nearby the bonfire, select a rug from our website and enjoy the warmth of the bonfire with comfort.

Choose from various vintage metal plates and trays to serve the sweets, candies, popcorn and groundnuts to people in the gathering and make a style statement.

Shop from the categories of Urli, pots, and planters and choose a beautiful urli to make a bonfire. You can set up wooden logs in it and light a bonfire.

Or, you can use this as a decorative piece to place more traditional food and use it for serving too.

Another picturesque product on our website is a cake stand. These stands are perfect to be placed nearby your rug, and you can put your vintage bowls, plates or trays on them.

You can use these stands to place ceramic pots or planters and click an insta-worthy shot.

Vintage water pots are used during pooja or prayer rituals while thanking the Sun God. You can carry the holy water or Gangajal within it.

Agarbatti holder or Incense holder is another product used during traditional rituals. You can insert the agarbatti or incense stick and conveniently do the pooja due to the handle; it will give you an easy grip.

While praying to the lord, another statement piece used is the temple bell. Under vintage and temple bells, you can choose from various options at IndianShelf.

Makar Sankranti 2024

Makar Sankranti is a festival devoted to the Hindu religious god Sun, Surya. On Makar Sankranti, the Sun God is worshipped along with God Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi throughout India. The dates of Makar Sankranti usually fall on the 14th of January annually, but the 15th of January in leap years.

When is Makar Sankranti 2024?

Makar Sankranti is celebrated one day after the festival of Lohri. This year Lohri is being celebrated on 14 January, so that Makar Sankranti will be celebrated on 15 January 2024.

Is Lohri and Makar Sankranti same?

Lohri and Makar Sankranti commemorate the end of the winter solstice, and they are more or less the same. Undoubtedly, both mark the sowing and harvesting of crops in India. But the way of celebrating these festivals is quite different from each other. As you read, Lohri has a bonfire lit up, and children go from one home to another, asking for Lohri and singing the traditional song. However, Makar Sankranti has spiritual relevance as certain rituals occur, and people bathe in holy water like Ganga, Yamuna, Krishna, Godavari, and Kaveri. Bathing in holy water leads to the dissolution of sins. They pray and thank the Sun god for success and prosperity. People fly kites and prepare traditional sweets using sesame (til) and Jaggery (gur). In this festival, too, children wander from one house to another, singing and asking for treats.

One prominent event that occurs after every 12 years is the magnificent Kumbha Mela in the four most holy and spiritual places: Haridwar, Prayagraj, Ujjain, and Nashik.

What is Lohri called in Assam?

In Assam, the Lohri festival is known as Magh Bihu. Magh Bihu is another name for Makar Sankranti. It is celebrated with pomp and show by lighting the bonfire and arranging feasts. Young people in Assam build temporary huts named Mejhi and Bhelaghar using bamboo, leaves and thatch. In Bhelaghar, they feast on the prepared food; and burn the makeshift huts the following day.

Call it Lohri, Magh Bihu, or Makar Sankranti; it all means the same. They mark the end of winter days and the beginning of longer days with shorter nights. Shop at IndianShelf, to assemble an eclectic set-up for these events while you enjoy the festivities with your near and dear ones.