When is Lohri 2026: Date, time, significance, history, traditions, rituals, food and all you need to know about the festival

Lohri is among the most widely celebrated harvest festivals of North India, especially in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Delhi. Celebrated every year on January 13, the festival marks the end of winter and the arrival of the rabi harvest season. Falling a day before Makar Sankranti, Lohri is widely seen as a celebration of joy, gratitude, warmth, and fresh beginnings.

The Legend Behind Lohri: Dulla Bhatti

Every festival carries a story passed down through generations, and Lohri’s narrative centres around Dulla Bhatti, Punjab’s legendary rebel hero. He wasn’t the quiet kind, but the “stand up against wrong things” type. Dulla Bhatti was known for protecting young girls from exploitation, helping them marry with dignity, and doing what others were too afraid to do.

That is why his name lives on in Lohri folk songs. When people sing around the fire, it’s not just celebration — it’s remembrance. The songs honour someone who truly mattered.

Bonfire Rituals and Offerings

As evening sets in, a bonfire is lit and people naturally gather around it. There’s no strict order — just warmth, movement, and shared energy. Into the fire go sesame seeds, popcorn, jaggery, puffed rice, and peanuts, offered as symbols of gratitude and abundance.

The ritual represents letting go of the cold, the old, and the difficult, while welcoming warmth, hope, and togetherness.

The Food That Makes Lohri Special

For many, half the excitement of Lohri is the food — simple, seasonal, and deeply comforting. Sticky rewari, crunchy gajak, warm peanuts, and freshly roasted popcorn are passed around freely. And then there’s that unbeatable winter pairing — sarson da saag with makki di roti — which somehow tastes even better beside a crackling fire.

Why Lohri Still Feels Personal

Lohri endures because it feels real. Families who barely find time for each other throughout the year make space for this one evening. Those living abroad often video-call home just to see the bonfire. Newlyweds and newborns receive special attention, blessings, and extra sweets.

You don’t need a village gathering to feel its spirit. Even a small bonfire — or candles lit on a balcony — can capture the essence. Share til sweets with whoever is around, play a Punjabi song a little louder, call your parents, or recall an old Lohri memory. That’s enough.

Lohri and New Beginnings

The festival holds special importance in households celebrating a new marriage, a first wedding anniversary, or the birth of a child. Lohri symbolises new beginnings, good health, prosperity, and good fortune.

According to tradition, newly married women are advised to avoid wearing black clothes on this day and to refrain from arguments, as the festival is meant to invite harmony and positivity into the home.

Lohri and Its Connection to Makar Sankranti

Lohri is closely linked to Makar Sankranti, which marks the Sun’s northward movement, known as Uttarayana. While Sankranti represents the astronomical and solar transition, Lohri reflects the cultural and agricultural celebration tied to it. Together, the two festivals form a spiritually connected celebration of light, harvest, and renewal.