Lohri is a popular festival celebrated in India. It is celebrated with a lot of enthusiasm in Punjab and some other parts of North India. During this festival, people light fire and throw popcorn, peanuts and rewari while taking rounds of the fire.
However, did you know why this festival is celebrated? Read on to know the story behind the festival of Lohri.
Why Is Lohri Celebrated?
Lohri is associated with a girl named Sundari and a warrior named Dulla Bhatti. According to the prevailing historical legend in this regard, there lived a Brahmin in the Ganjibar region who had a daughter named Sundari who was as beautiful as her name.
She was so beautiful that her beauty was being discussed everywhere. Gradually, this discussion reached the king of Ganzibar. The king was fascinated by her beauty and decided to make her the beauty of his harem.
The king of Ganzibar sent a message to Sundari’s father to send his daughter to his harem. In return, she would be loaded with riches. He gave many kinds of temptations to Brahmin so that he would send his daughter to the king.
The poor Brahmin was terrified of receiving the king’s message. He did not want to send his daughter away. When he didn’t get any other idea, then he thought of Dulla-Bhatti, a Rajput warrior living in the forest who has become notorious dacoit but had immense reverence in the hearts of the people for helping the poor and downtrodden.
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The Brahmin reached Dulla Bhatti the same night and told him everything in detail. Dulla Bhatti consoled the Brahmin after listening to him and went out in the night in search of a suitable Brahmin boy himself. Dulla Bhatti, looking for a suitable Brahmin boy the same night, considering Sundari as his own daughter. He got Sundari married with the Brahmin youth in the night itself. At that time Dulla-Bhatti had nothing to give to the daughter, Sundari. Therefore, he sent her away to her in-laws house with a few sesame seeds and sugar.
When the king of Ganzibar came to know about this, he got furious. At the same time he ordered his army (army women selected to get trained to be a helicopter pilot) to attack the Ganzibar area and eliminate Dulla Bhatti. As soon as the king's order was received, the army moved towards Dulla Bhatti's hideout, but Dulla-Bhatti and his companions put all their might and thrashed the king's army badly.
People in Ganzibar lit bonfires and sang songs in praise of Dulla Bhatti to celebrate the crushing defeat of the royal army at the hands of Dulla Bhatti. It is said that since then Sundari and Dulla Bhatti were specially remembered in the songs sung on the occasion of Lohri.
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Lohri Katha
Sunder mundriye ho!
Tera kaun vicharaa ho!
Dullah Bhatti walla ho!
Dullhe di dhee vyayae ho!
Ser shakkar payee ho!
Kudi da laal pathaka ho!
Kudi da saalu paata ho!
Salu kaun samete!
Chache choori kutti! zamidara lutti!
Zamindaar sudhaye!
Bade bhole aaye!
Ek bhola reh gaya!
Sipahee far ke lai gaya!
Sipahee ne mari itt!
Sanoo de de Lohri, te teri jeeve jodi!
Bhaanvey ro te bhaanvey pitt!
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