Finally the much awaited festival of ‘Lohri’ has come…but this time I am not at home ,in Punjab, with my family to celebrate Lohri. The moment I hear this word ‘Lohri’, all those memories flash on my retina…..Lohri bonfire, Mungfli(ground nut), Reodiyaan, Chidve(puffed rice) and the ever hit song ‘Sundar mundariye HOYE ,Tera kaun Vichara HOYE, Dullah Bhatti wala HOYE….’ Sung in the praise of Dullah Bhatti, a punjabi avatar of Robinhood who robbed rich to help poor.
Gone are the days….when I was a kid…..as free as a bird,when we, The Basanti Gang(a group of some fifteen children) would go from door to door singing folk songs and demanding the Lohri ‘loot’ in the form of money and eatables like til(sesame )seeds, peanuts, jaggery and sweets like gajak(chikki), reodiyaan etc….when getting 500g of gajak meant everything to us.
I remember Lohri eve,13th January 2011, the first festival of the year for us(punjabis), was a day of festivity and merrymaking. Goody Aunty and I had specially bought parandi. Though it didn’t fit in my hair as it was not that long, but I still managed to fix that with pins. My exquisite green and yellow Patiala salwar –kameez made me look adorable. Those voices still echo in my ears and I automatically get a smile when I think of Lohri.
Yeah….I could see everybody was ready, looking elegant and cheerful in their lovely traditional Punjabi outfits. With the setting of sun, amidst the freezing cold, temperature vacillating between 0-5 degrees Celsius and the dense fog, huge bonfire was lit in the front yard of our neighbour, Sharma Uncle’s house. We all were excited as it was the first Lohri of their daughter-in-law at their place. I thought I was looking the most elegant, but then came the newly wed couple.Bhabhi(their daughter-in-law) was looking absolutely graceful in purple and green, pure silk salwar-kameez. Her maroon phulkari dupatta (spectacular style of embroidery
peculiar to Punjab) almost took my breath….I envied her….I even asked her to get me a dress like that. Mati(my grand mother) and her friends(other elderly ladies) sang folk songs and blessed the newly wed couple. We all gathered around the rising flames, circled around(Parikrama) the bonfire,throwing puffed rice, pop corns and ground nuts into the holy fire, shouting “Ishar aaye, dalidar jaye….”(May the God come and the poverty vanish).After parikrama, all the people were meeting their friends, relatives and exchanging greetings and gifts.Mati told me to distribute Prasad(offerings made to God). Prasad comprises of five items : til, gajak, jaggery, peanuts, pop corns). Winter savories were served around the bon-fire with traditional dinner of makki di roti(maize hand rolled bread) and sarson da sag(cooked mustard herbs).
peculiar to Punjab) almost took my breath….I envied her….I even asked her to get me a dress like that. Mati(my grand mother) and her friends(other elderly ladies) sang folk songs and blessed the newly wed couple. We all gathered around the rising flames, circled around(Parikrama) the bonfire,throwing puffed rice, pop corns and ground nuts into the holy fire, shouting “Ishar aaye, dalidar jaye….”(May the God come and the poverty vanish).After parikrama, all the people were meeting their friends, relatives and exchanging greetings and gifts.Mati told me to distribute Prasad(offerings made to God). Prasad comprises of five items : til, gajak, jaggery, peanuts, pop corns). Winter savories were served around the bon-fire with traditional dinner of makki di roti(maize hand rolled bread) and sarson da sag(cooked mustard herbs).
As I had to leave for internship at Infosys Mysore after some days (22/01/2011), all were wishing me luck and showering their blessings. Then came the time for the event, I had been waiting for…..THE BHANGRA. All the members of Basanti Gang(I laugh when I say this) were there. We were no more kids but that evening ,we had forgotten this fact for some time .I along with fun loving, energetic and enthusiastic young friends of mine, was then lost in Bhangra amidst the beats of the drum. And the Bhangra continued till our bodies ached.
Yesterday, I got a courier, guess what, Bhabhi has sent me something…..the same kind of dress she wore last year on Lohri , the dress I envied her for. Wow !!!!! I feel so elated to have this surprise. It reminds me that miles away, people remember me. I got an intense feeling of Deja-vu when I had first glance of my gift. Thank You Bhabhi !!!!!! This year I will celebrate Pongal with my friends from this part of India….I think if I wear my new Punjabi dress on pongal…I can call it POHRI(Pongal+Lohri).
The message spread by both Pongal and Lohri is same….the same message of oneness and the spirit of brotherhood while thanking God for good harvest and prosperous life. Wow !!! It feels so amazing to imagine myself in Punjabi suit with malli-pu(jasmine flowers) in my hair !!!!!
HAPPY LOHRI…..Rather Happy POHRI to all J
De Mai Lohri Jeeve Teri Jodi (May God Bless Your Marriage, Lady, Give Us Lohri) :)
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