Lohri is associated with the Hindu God of fire, ‘Agni Dev’. Fire is believed to be all consuming and pure. It is this nature of fire due to which Hindus & Sikhs consider it divine.

The Lohri bonfire is a visual representation of the deity. Communities light a bonfire and gather around it to celebrate the season. It is a tradition to put the harvested rice or grain into the fire as a form of sacrifice and gratitude for the abundant produce.

Lohri also commemorates the Sun God, ‘Suryadev’. As the day of Lohri marks the end of peak winter, the sun god is welcomed and asked to bless the people with longer days and the crops of the new season with more light.

Dancing is the main activity in the celebrations of Lohri. The traditional dance forms practised around the bonfire during Lohri include ‘Bhangara’ and ‘Gidda’.
Bhangara is an upbeat, high-enegry dance form that requires you to lift your arms or reach out and jump or hop.

Gidda is a form of dance that consists of subtle hand & body movements while going around in circles. It requires less energy and movement of the limbs so that everyone in the community can practice it.

The Robin Hood Of Punjab

Traditional Lohri songs often mention ‘Dhulla Bhatti’. He is considered to be ‘Robinhood’ in folklores in the Indian states of Punjab and Haryana.

He was a bandit during the Turkic colonial rule in India. He is said to have stolen money from the rich Mughal kings and given it back to the indigenous people of the region. He also rescued abducted Hindu & Sikh girls, saving them from being sold into the slave trade of the surrounding Islamic empires. And therefore, considered to be a legend who saved the region from atrocities of the invading rulers.

‘Pongal’ is celebrated in the Southern states of India over 4 days. It signifies the Sun’s transition from the Southern Hemisphere to the nothern hemisphere. Pongal is celebrated to align with nature as it begins a new cycle.

The 1st day of Pongal is to cleanse - not only your energy or self but also your surroundings.

People take baths, detox from screens, clean their homes or draw designs with rice flour at their doorstep.

On Day 3 people decorate their cattle and animals around them, feed them and express gratitude for their help in farming and bringing balance in the ecosystem.

This tradition is rooted in the story that once when Lord Shiva sent his bull named ‘Nandi’ to earth and tell humans that they must bathe everyday & eat once a month. However, Nandi conveyed the opposite. Therefore, Lord Shiva punished him to forever be on earth & help humans produce more food & grain so that there may be no shortage of food.

Pongal is a sweet traditional rice recipe made with seasonal produce. It is believed that this festival was named after this dish as most look forward to the festival so they can savour this delicious sweet!

Like most festivals in Indic faiths, Vasant Panchami aligns with nature, marking the first day of spring in India. This festival is celebrated to honor ‘Saraswati,’ the Hindu goddess of knowledge, wisdom, and arts.

This festival also commemorates ‘Kamadev,’ the God of love and desire.

Embracing your true self

This festival honors the God of love and desire, ‘Kamdev’. Kamdev is renowned for his notorious stirring up of desires.

This day is an auspicious occasion to embrace yourself, your inner feelings, and desires. As desire is the root of all creation on earth and helps preserve & sustain everything on earth.

Unlock your creative potential

Vasant Panchami is celebrated by fostering creativity. Parents teach their kids their first words, musicians gather and create new harmonies.

It is an auspicious time to unlock your creative potential. Write, journal, pen down your ideas, start working on your creative projects, create music, dance, read books, initiate new practices, and explore the realms of imagination.