Happy Lohri....:)

For all those who are unaware of this festival, let me tell you, Lohri is a festival celebrated in North India, mainly in Punjab and Haryana. This festival is celebrated by burning logs of woods in the evening and eating and dancing around it. It is celebrated at a large scale in families having newly-weds or new-born marking their first lohri. Lohri signifies the end of harsh winters and beginning of a relief from chilly winds. For farmers it marks the celebration of harvesting of their crops and so as a thanks to God as well as a part of celebration this festival is enjoyed. 

I guess this sounded like an essay on 'My favourite festival' written by a student of Class V and ofcourse most of you would already be knowing about it, courtesy Veer-Zaara and plethora of other bollywood movies.. ;)

So let me give you some insight into the actual culture of Lohri, which is not shown in any bollywood movie. The major part of this festival is asking for lohri from others. Kids and ladies sing songs asking for logs of wood and food items related to winters like moongfali (peanuts), fulle (popcorns), gachak (i have no idea what is it called in english, but its a sweet dish made of jaggery, nuts, peanuts/sesame), rewri (another sweet thing made from sugar and sesame), etc. In olden times it was limited to eatables, now its eatables money (eatables are BOUND to be given along with money). As kids we also used to have a lot of fun asking for lohri, now it is limited to family members only. Many things have changed, but the tradational song has been the same since its inception, i.e. from the era of Akbar. Here it is,

Sunder mundriye ho!
Tera kaun vicharaa ho!
Dullah Bhatti walla ho!
Dullhe di dhee vyayae ho!
Ser shakkar payee ho!
Kudi da laal pathaka ho!
Kudi da saalu paata ho!
Salu kaun samete!
Chacha gali dese!
Chache choori kutti! zamidara lutti!
Zamindaar sudhaye!
Bum Bum bhole aaye!
Ek bhola reh gaya!
Sipahee far ke lai gaya!
Sipahee ne mari itt!
Bhaanvey ro te bhaanvey pitt!
Sanoo de de Lohri, te teri jeeve jodi!

Translation

Beautiful girl
Who will think about you
Dulla of the Bhatti clan will
Dulla's daughter got married
He gave one ser of sugar!
The girl is wearing a red suit!
But her shawl is torn!
Who will stitch her shawl?!
The uncle made choori!
The landlords looted it!
Landlords are beaten up!
Lots of simple-headed boys came!
One simpleton got left behind!
The soldier arrested him!
The soldier hit him with a brick!
(Cry or howl)!
Give us Lohri, long live your pair (to a married couple)!
Whether you cry, or bang your head later!

My best wishes for all of you on this festival of warmth. may the fire of lohri burn away all yours sadness and sins and bring the warmth of health, happiness and joy in your lives. :) :)

Off I go and ask for lohri from my father singing another two-liner.. And you all also, give me some lohri, afterall I'm singing too...;) :P

         Saade pairan heth saliyan, asi durr pindan to aaiyan

         Saade paeran heth roorh, saanu cheti cheti torr

         De maayi lohri, jive teri jodi