A Night To Rejoice For Desis! Celebrate Lohri!

We Desis have at least one festival for each month and we make sure our knack for celebrating festive occasions never goes out of style! Bonfire, peanuts, popcorn, chikki, Punjabi Folk music and dance is what makes January extra special. Today, we celebrate Lohri, which is the harvest festival of India. When the world is gripped in the chilly winters we joyously celebrate Lohri with our friends and family.

Mythologically this festival marks the celebration of gratitude to Sun God for being gracious. Scientifically from this day onwards, the days start getting longer as the Sun proceeds northwards towards the tropic of Cancer.

This festival is also celebrated in different parts of India with various names such as Pongal, Makar Sankranti, Bhogali Bihu and Bhogi. On the night of Lohri, a bonfire is lit and families and friends come together to dance the night away to the beats of the dhol and nagara. Surely this night would be incomplete without lip-smackingly yummy snacks and food. Some of the best food items that you will get to relish are:

Chikki

There are multiple varieties of chikki available in the market. Peanut chikki, dry fruit chikki and til chikki are the favorites in which, peanuts, sesame seeds, and dry fruits are smeared with jaggery and tastes heavenly. This snack is also a winter remedy to keep warm.

Popcorn

Toss the corn and wheat into the bonfire for the blessings from the Gods. Another important element of Lohri celebration is the popcorn or makai or phulle.

Rewri and Gajak

The crunchy and the brittle sweets made up of jaggery and sesame are nothing less than an addiction. No one would ever be hold themselves back after having just one of them.

Makki Di Roti and Sarson Ka Saag

One of the best and well-known food combinations, which is usually consumed in winters. Complemented with butter and ghee this dish is the basic dinner in winters made in most Punjabi households.

Gajar Ka Halwa