Lohri is celebrated as the Harvest festival in punjab, wheat is ripening , turning golden, soon it will be cut the grain taken and the farmer will take it to be sold for the rest of the nation to fill their bellies.
It is also Celebrated as the Eve of Maaghi a very auspicious day For Sikhs, Maaghi means primarily the festival at Muktsar Sahib, a district town of the Punjab (it is also my home town), in commemoration of the heroic fight of the Chali Mukte, literally, the Forty Liberated Ones, who laid down their lives warding off an attack by an imperial army marching in pursuit of Guru Gobind Singh Ji.
The following song is sung as a tribute to Dulla Bhatti, he is the central character of most Lohri songs , He was regarded as a hero in Punjab, a Punjabi version of Robin Hood as he besides robbing the rich and giving to the poor, would rescue girls being forcibly taken to be sold in slave market during the reign of Mughal Emperor Akbar. He would then arrange their marriages to boys of their religion with rituals and provide them with dowries. So every other Lohri song has words to express gratitude to Dulla Bhatti.
Sunder mundriye Hoye | Oh beautiful one like a ringlet one |
Tera kaun wicahara hoye!
Dullah bhatti walla hoye Dullahe ne dhee vyayae hoye! |
Who will save you poor one (to a rescued girl)
Dullah Bhatti is here for you (He rescued the girls who were abandoned and rejected after kidnap!) He married off his daughter (the rescued girls were adopted by him as his daughters) |
Ser shakkar payee hoye!
Kudi da laal pachaka hoye! Kudi da saalu paatta hoye! Salu kaun samete! |
He gave a measure (ser about a kilo)of sugar!
The girl is wearing bridal red dress! But her shawl is torn (poor and soiled-girl has been raped?)! Who will stitch her shawl(repair her reputation)?! |
Mame choori kutti!
zamidara lutti! Zamindaar sadaye! |
The maternal uncle made sweet ghee bread (choori)! (maternal uncles were responsible to vouch for chastity of the girl)
The landlords ravished it (meaning the girl kidnapped by rich moghul landlords!)! |
bade bhole aaye!
Ek bhola reh gaya! Sipahee pakad ke lai gaya! Sipahee ne mari eet! |
Lots of innocent guys came (poor grooms)
One innocent boy got left behind (the poorest of poor!) The soldiers arrested him! (Indicated that he was in collusion with Bhatti the rebel) The soldiers hit him with a brick! (tortured him) |
Sanoo de de lohri te teri jeeve jodi!
Pahnnve ro te pahnnve pitt! |
Give us lohri (gifts) ..long live you couple!
Cry or howl! |
Back home in India I would have got up early, worn nice new clothes, met up with my friends from the neighborhood and then go house to house, singing the above song demanding some gift. We would get money or sweets… Money usually..
The house that gave money was blessed by US by
âDabba bharaya leera daâ
âAi ghar ameera daâ
The house that did not give
âHukka bhai Hukkaaâ
âAi ghar bhukkaâ
My grandfather would give me the traditional 500Rs, My dad is a miser he would not give :), mum would give though depending on how much she has… I bet if mum was not at home a lot of the above Hukka bhai hukka was sung in front of our house he he he … I am just kidding
It would soon be college time, oh yes holiday-no holiday, festival – no festival, College is a must, Not just me but everyone in the group would be there, to start the planning how to go about celebrating (I do think Now , why did we not plan a day earlier on the 12th.. hmmmm, would have saved coming all the way to college) , where can we have the big pyre lit have the dholi beat the dhol… dance around the fire eat the sweets the gachaks ( groundnuts and jaggery), Rewadi’s , nuts , next door neighbours would come a few other friends make a night out of it .. Dancing- singing … then once exhausted just sit around the fire till late in night just chatting…
So Here’s wishing
Mere SAARE YAAR BELIYAAN NUÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â — (To all my friends)
Te uhna diyan Sohnia Sohinia saheliyan nu — (and to all their beautiful Girl friends)
Mere Yaar Sharabiyaan nu                — (To all My drunkard friends)
Te meriyaan Shonia Sohnia Bhabhiyan nu  — (To all my beautiful sister-in-law’s)
Mere Yaar Puraniyan Nu                  — (To all my old Friends)
Te uhna di Nikke Nikke Niyaniyan nu      — (And to their Little Children)
Te Sab Budhiyaan Nu                     — (To all the Oldies)
HAPPY LOHRI EVERYONE…. Have a blast .. EAT – DRINK and BE MERRY… Enjoy
HAPPY LOHRIÂ . and dont forget my LOHRI… ..
What a lovely post to read on lohri. Dads are always miser when compared to grandpa’s. Happy Lohri.
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Thank you so much đ Mam.. yes you are right.. ha ha ha đ
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Happy Lohri Biks! đ
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Thank you Thank you Pixie…
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Wish you a very Happy Lohri đĽ
Looks you used to have so much fun in India. Btw, arenât you in India anymoreâŚif I remember right, you moved back?
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Thank you so much … the best days of my life for sure … No i am UK đ
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Happy Lori bikram⌠itâs totally a new info. for me
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Thank you so much.. India being so big each state has its own way of celebrating harvest .. I did not know of Pongal and others till i started blogging …
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Happy Lohri
Bikram and Family
It is great traditions
such as these that bring
us all together my fine
friend. Have a wonderful
rest of weekend.
Andro
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Thank you si much.. how are you .. long-time no see no hear…
Good to see you here andro..
Hope you had a great weekend.. and yes traditions are what brings us all together …
Thank you once again..
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I have been spending time on G+ and Pinterest of later, oh and a little on FB though I must admit I am not so keen on the nosiness of that place (if they could ask what colour underwear we were using, they most certainly would, and tell the world also⌠lol)
Great to see you here
and thank you for your
continued support for
my WordPress Realm,
it has certainly gathered
dust since I was last here
on a regular basis. I am
now trying to post something
every other day, and will be
calling by your space too đ
Have a fun Wednesday Sir Bikram đ
Andro
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đ Andro I have the same feelings about FB , I rarely visit there as I find it waste of time .. and a few more months I am sure they will ask the colour sooooooooonnn and the Types toooo ha ha ha ha
It always good to see you and Visit your blog its full of Happinesss ha ha ha đ
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Never knew so much about Lohri.I liked Dhulla Bhatti and his laudable heroics Haapy Lohri!!
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đ Thank you so much.. I guess each state has its own version I did not know about Pongal and only while blogging I came to know about it .. and other festivals tooo
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Happy happy Lohri Bikram:)
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Thank you thank youuuuu
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Happy Lohri. This is also a holiest day for Tamil speaking people. Pongal.
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HAPPY PONGAL SG, I hope you had a good one
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Happy Lohri!
God bless.
Nice memories, Bikram. Meaningful lyrics.
During festivals, if abroad, we miss our country even more!
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I know.. I miss them the most .. and long to go to celebrate…
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Thank you for the introduction to the Lohri. What a special one! Trust you had a wonderful celebration..
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đ Thank you so muchhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh .. I have so many beautiful memories…
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Hope u did not save those 500 rupee notes âŚ.they would be of no use today đ
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Well now that you ask , I do have some (a lot) đŚ that i have not been able to convert… Sad.. But the ones I got them were spent pronto ha ha ha ha đ
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Happy Lohri, Bikram! Beautiful lyrics! Be happy always!
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Thank you so muchhhhhhhhhh đ How are you doinggggggggg
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On your blog after ages! Happy Lohri to you too!
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Thank you so much for visiting đ Welcome BACKkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk đ please do keep visiting ..
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Happy Lohri, Vikramjit!
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I meant Bikramjit. Do you get that from other people â calling you Vikramjit instead?
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đ yes i do get that a lot, it seems Vikram is quiet common compared to Bikram đ
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Thank you so muchhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
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