Happy Lohri !

Dear Friends,

Wishing you and your family a very happy Lohri & Makar Sakranti.

Lohri te Makar Sankranti diyan lakh lakh vadhaiyan.

Lohri  is an extremely popular Punjabi agricultural winter festival celebrated throughout Punjab and in parts of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh,Delhi and Jammu.

The origins of Lohri are many. Many people believe the festival began as a celebration of the eve of the winter solstice.

Lohri is the Punjabis' and Dogras' cultural celebration on the eve of the winter solstice. However, instead of celebrating Lohri on the eve of winter solstice, Punjabis celebrate it on the last day of the month during which winter solstice takes place, Paush. This is due to linking Lohri to the Bikrami calendar.

According to folk lore, in ancient Punjab Lohri was celebrated on the eve ofwinter solstice day. It is for this reason that people believe the Lohri night is meant to be the longest night of the year and on the day after Lohri, day light is meant to increase.

With the formulation of the Bikrami calendar, Lohri has been twinned with the Hindu winter solstice festival of Makar Sankranti which relates to the Sun's entry into the new sign, Makar. Hindus pray to the Hindu Sun God,Ravi on Makar Sankranti which is meant to be celebrated on winter solstice day.

Regards & Best Wishes

Pankaj Agarwal

S L Watwani

& All Members of Efforts Group