January The 13th

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

“Dabba bharaya leera da”
“Ai ghar ameera da”

The house that did not give

“Hukka bhai Hukkaa”
“Ai ghar bhukka”

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 NU                   — (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 LOHRI . and dont forget my LOHRI… ..