- By Kashish Rai
- Mon, 12 Jan 2026 11:14 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
Lohri 2026: The festival of Lohri has immense popularity in North India, with the states of Punjab and Haryana taking the lead in celebrating the festival. It is the season of the emergence of life itself in nature during the months of January and February, after the harvesting of crops during the seasons preceding it. With the start of the festival, lighting of holy fire and the distribution of sesame seeds, jaggery, gajak, and rewari to the fire symbolise the festival of Lohri. It also indicates the beginning of the bright days with the end of the harsh winters, since the holy fire lit on the festival of Lohri indicates the end of the season of winters.
Lohri 2026: Date
This year, Lohri will be observed on 13th January 2026, Tuesday.
Lohri 2026: Significance
The festival of Lohri is celebrated with great fervour in the Punjab region. The festival is celebrated to mark the harvesting of winter crops like sugarcane and mustard. For people in Punjab, Lohri marks an occasion that brings people closer as they dance on Bhangra and Gidda. On the night of Lohri, a bonfire is lit in an open field. Lighting the Lohri bonfire is an auspicious act. People gather around the bonfire of Lohri and perform rituals of giving sesame seeds, rewari and popcorn.
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Lohri is a sacred harvest festival, celebrated mainly in Punjab and Haryana. (Image Source: Freepik)
Lohri 2026: Rituals
The most significant ritual associated with Lohri is the lighting of bonfires at night. Firewood is collected either in a courtyard or an open field, and a fire is lit, and people surround that fire in a circle. Sesame seeds, jaggery, rewari, peanuts, and popcorn are presented to that sacred fire. People move around that fire, praying to God for a brighter and more prosperous life.
Dancing, singing, and socialising are also very important aspects of this occasion. Men perform Bhangra to the beat of the drum, and women celebrate by performing Gidda. Traditional dishes like sarson ka saag, makki ki roti and til ke laddu are prepared on this special day. In homes where a new marriage has taken place or a child has been born, Lohri is celebrated on a grand scale, and guests are given gifts.
(Disclaimer: This content includes advice providing generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified spiritual or astrological opinion. Always consult a specialist for more information before adopting any measures.)