Lohri 2022: Date, Timings, Puja Vidhi and Rituals of the first festival of New Year

Lohri is a festival that is mainly associated with the northern region of India. It is one of the first festivals of the New Year which is predominantly celebrated by the Hindu and Sikh communities. This festival marks the passing of the winter solstice and beginning of longer days. It is also the harvest festival in the northern part of India, where people celebrate sugarcane harvest and it signifies the end of the winter season. This year, Lohri will be observed today, 13 January where people celebrate it by lighting bonfires to represent the Sun bringing warmth. Timing for the ritual: This year, the Lohri Sankranti moment will be observed at 02:43 pm on 14 January (tomorrow), according to Drik Panchang. Items needed to conduct puja: Those who are preparing and planning to conduct puja need to have the following items in their list: Purified mango wood, Akshat, Sugarcane, Kumkum, Havan samidha, Kalash, Shriphal, Ganga Jal, Naivedya, shodash matrika, surya and agni yantra among others. How is the day celebrated? On this special occasion, people who observe this festival thank the Sun, Earth, and Fire for prosperity and happiness being bestowed on the people through food provided. The spirit of Lohri lies in acknowledging the Sun god and offering prayers for an abundant harvest. As per the tradition being carried on since ages, people on this day eat gajak, sarson da saag, til rice, jaggery, makki di roti, radish and ground nuts. By evening, bonfires are lit and families come together with love and respect. When they all meet up, people assemble around the fire and toss popcorn, puffed rice, and peanuts into the blazing sparks. Many sing folk songs while others dance to folk music. Additionally, this is a general part of the event that takes place every year. Apart from the harvest festival, many people consider the day after Lohri (which is Maghi) to be the start of a good financial year.