Mumbai, January 12: As the sun sets on January 13, the Gulatis are all dressed in their finest attire and ready to step out of their home in Chembur to the community lawn to gather around the burning logs of woods with the other Sikh and Punjabi families to celebrate Lohri.
Lohri is celebrated on January 13, it marks the end of winter and beginning of Magha, when the sun changes its course.
For the last four years the Gulatis have celebrated the festivals with the other families from Maitri Park society rather than having their own Lohri. The society has its own Gurudwara and it also organises Langar. “Earlier it was elder who used to finance but now with the changing times even youngsters financially contribute,” says Simran Gulati who has volunteered to do seva and help in the decorations.
So how are Lohri celebrations in the city different? “Lohri has its charm in winters when you’re sitting around the bonfire in the cold winter chill and eating sweets. But here it’s too humid to sit around the bonfire for more than 10 minutes,” says Sunny Nijjar. Manveet Kaur Sethi from Juhu, says, “Here the women don’t do Gidda around the fire. Many don’t know the traditional songs that are sung during Lohri.”
But for some, Lohri celebration is the same as it is in the North. “My grandmother makes Gajjar ki kheer every Lohri. It’s a tradition; there has been no Lohri where she has not made it. At night my father sings Dullah bhatti walla ho! (to express gratitude to Dulla Bhatti) when we are sit around the fire.
The origin of the Lohri can be traced back to the tale of Dulla Bhatti,” says the Sikhni Gulati who has taken a half-day off to help in the preparation.
It is said that the first Lohri is very important for the newly-wed and the new born babies as it marks fertility. The Dutts have had their first grandson, so for them this is a very special Lohri. “We generally go to our friend’s house carrying a box of sweet but this year we are planning to do something different, after all it’s our grandson’s first Lohri” says Vikram Dutt.