Amritsar administration celebrates ‘Dhiyan Di Lohri’ with 101 newborn girls

Celebrating “Dhiyan Di Lohri” (Lohri of Daughters), Punjab Cabinet Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO and his wife Suhinder Kaur joined Lohri festivities with staff and officials of the district administration at Saroop Rani College for Women here on Monday. The event specially honoured the families and parents of 101 newborn girls, who were invited to celebrate their daughters’ first Lohri.

In Punjab and mostly in North India, Lohri, especially the first Lohri, is considered significant for a newborn. Traditionally, however, the celebration was largely limited to the birth of baby boys. Over the years, this patriarchal norm has begun to fade, giving way to new traditions that promote gender equality. Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO distributed Lohri to the families of the newborn girls and congratulated them on the festival.

“These daughters should be educated and bring honour to their families and the country. It must be reiterated that daughters today are excelling in every field and bringing glory to their parents and the nation,” said Minister ETO. He added that in Punjab, educated and capable women have taken charge as Deputy Commissioners in nearly seven to eight districts.

Deputy Commissioner, Amritsar, Dalwinderjit Singh said parents should not consider daughters a burden but should provide them equal opportunities for education. “To eradicate social evils like dowry, we must educate sons and empower daughters,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Indian Academy of Fine Arts (IAFA) also celebrated Lohri by dedicating the festivities to art. Artists, poets and cultural enthusiasts participated in the celebrations. Prior to the event, the city’s artist fraternity paid a solemn tribute to veteran Bollywood actor Dharmendra.

In another event, former chairman of the Amritsar Improvement Trust (AIT) and senior Congress leader Dinesh Bassi celebrated Lohri with residents of Ward No. 32 in the East constituency. Extending Lohri greetings to the residents, Bassi said Lohri is not merely a festival of circling around a bonfire, but a symbol of farmers’ hard work, mutual brotherhood and Punjab’s rich cultural heritage.

Bassi said that in times of rising inflation, unemployment and growing concerns among the youth, the Lohri bonfire inspires society to unite and collectively face these challenges. He reiterated his commitment to bringing Punjab back on the path of progress through education, healthcare and employment.