Lohri 2026: 7 lesser-known rituals and customs behind the bonfire celebrations

Lohri is among the most widely celebrated harvest festivals of North India, which include Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Delhi. It is celebrated annually on January 13, marking the end of winter and the arrival of the rabi harvest season. Lohri is widely observed as a celebration of joy, gratitude, warmth, and fresh beginnings. Based on the Drik Panchang, the timing of the Lohri is at 3:13 PM on January 14, but the traditional celebrations, the dancing, singing, and bonfires take place on the evening of the 13th.

7 lesser-known traditions behind the bonfire festival

1. Lohri goddess idol from cow dung

In some rural Punjab villages, families craft small idols of the Lohri goddess using gobar (cow dung) mixed with straw. These are placed at the bonfire base, symbolising fertility and earth connection. Lit with wood at dusk, the idol burns as an offering to Agni, the fire god, expressing gratitude for the harvest and invoking protection for the coming year. This eco‑friendly ritual underscores Lohri’s agrarian roots.

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2. Pouring milk and water around the fire

Hindus perform a specific ritual of pouring milk and water in a circle around the bonfire. This act thanks the Sun God (Surya) for longer days and seeks blessings for health and prosperity. Milk symbolises purity and nourishment, while water quenches the fire’s symbolic “thirst,” balancing the elements. Participants chant prayers during this, blending devotion with nature worship.

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3. Singing Dulla Bhatti folk songs

Children and women sing Boliyaan praising Dulla Bhatti, a 16th‑century rebel who robbed the rich to help poor girls marry. Lyrics recount his heroism, like freeing brides from Mughal oppressors. Sung while circling the bonfire, these songs pass down oral history and social justice themes, making Lohri a festival of resistance and community memory.

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4. Til, gur and rewri offerings

Beyond popcorn, sesame seeds (til), jaggery (gur), rewri (sesame brittle) and sugarcane are ritually tossed into the flames. Til represents oil for lamps (knowledge), gur sweetness in life, rewri unity (sticky clusters), and sugarcane prosperity. These offerings purify the soul, share abundance and ward off evil, tying Lohri to Vedic fire rituals.

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5. Village square pyramid bonfire

Urban celebrations often use gas, but traditional village mehfil builds a pyramid of dry twigs, cow‑dung cakes and logs inside a brick enclosure garlanded with marigolds. Lit at sunset in the main square, it draws the entire community for song, dance and prasad distribution, reinforcing social bonds and collective identity.

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6. Newborn and bride blessings

Newlyweds and families with newborns receive special Lohri prasad (peanuts, gajak, popcorn). Elders bless infants for health and couples for fertility, circling them around the fire. This rite invokes divine favour for family continuity, linking personal milestones to the harvest cycle and communal well‑being.

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7. Jhumar and gidda folk dances

While bhangra dominates, women perform gidda (clapping circles) and jhumar (tribal stick dance) around the fire. These lesser‑seen dances celebrate rural life, with lyrics about crops, love and seasons. Accompanied by dhol, they preserve pre‑Partition cultural expressions unique to Punjab’s Doabi and Majhi dialects.