It is time for Spring Harvest Festival celebrations across the Subcontinent.Northern
India celebrates Lohri today (Thursday, Jan 13). Other regions of the
Subcontinent celebrate Makar Sankranti - also variously called Maghi,
Bihu or Pongal - Jan 14-15.
The origins of the festival are many.
Some people believe the festival began as a celebration of the eve of
winter solstice. For several others, it is the festival of the rabi crop
harvest.
The name behind 'Lohri' is also interesting. The eating
of til (sesame seeds) and rorhi (jaggery) is considered to be essential
on Lohri day. Some surmise that perhaps the words til and rorhi merged
to become tilorhi, which eventually got shortened to Lohri.
On Lohri Day, Punjabis, and other North Indians lead celebrations with a bonfire, songs and dances.
Link to Makar Sankranti
With
the formulation of the Bikrami calendar, Lohri has been twinned with
the Hindu winter solstice festival of Makar Sankranti which relates to
the Sun's entry into the new sign, Makar.
Here Hindus pray to the Hindu Sun God Ravi on Makar Sankranti, which is meant to be celebrated on winter solstice day.
Sankranti
or Sankranthi marks the transition of the Sun into Makara rashi on its
celestial path. Traditionally, this has been one of many harvest days in
India.
Owing to the vast geography and diversity of culture in
India, this festival is celebrated for innumerable reasons and in
innumerable ways depending on the climate, agricultural environment,
cultural background and location.
But the traditions remain very
similar. While it is called 'tilorhi' in Punjab, in Maharashtra it's
'tilgul' (sesame seeds with jaggery), and where people greet each other
with "Tilgul kha, goad goad bola" (literally: "Eat tilgul and speak
sweet things.")
Sankranti is also celebrated all over South Asia, with some regional variations.
