Lohri is essentially a festival dedicated to fire and the sun god. The celebration of Lohri marks the time when the sun shines from the “Uttrarayan”, meaning it passes across Makar (the zodiac sign Capricorn) and moves northwards. This alteration of the sun’s position lessens the severity of the winter season and the earth receives warmth bringing comfort to her inhabitants. Lohri celebrates this impending comfort and sees nightlong festivities that has people lighting bonfires to combat the chilly weather, and singing and dancing around it in a festive mood. The fire also symbolizes the sun and is seen as a source of energy and spiritual strength. It is worshipped as a deity with food-offerings consisting of peanuts, popcorn and sweets made of til-chirva, gajak and revri.
