Munch special khajoors, fly kites and surrender yourself to the rhythm of Sundar Mundariye; let Amritsari Lohri light up your spirits

Lohri, one of the most culturally rich festivals of North India, is essentially a harvest festival, marked with upbeat mood, bonfires, traditional sweets and abundant crop. Add to that dhol beats, dancing and singing, lively folklores, kite flying, and Lohri becomes an experience to remember. Amritsar, a city full of culture and history, pulsates with a different energy during Lohri. What makes it special in Amritsar? Read on.

A date with Amritsari khajoor

The city has its own way of celebrating the festival, keeping up with its status as the food and heritage capital of Punjab. Fifteen days before Lohri, khajoor, a humble, flour, semolina, ghee and sugar-based pastry, makes Lohri special for reasons only to be experienced. Just like its name, the deep fried crunchy sweet will surprise you with it rich flavour. Not to be found all year round except for Lohri, it does live up to its exclusivity with crispy, rough on the outside and soft and warm on the inside, just like Amritsaris! Perfect for the winter festival, khajoor signifies the spirit behind Lohri, with simple ingredients traditionally found in every Punjabi household used to make this festive sweet.

Kite flying

Kite flying is another Lohri special activity popular in this part of the world, where children and grown-ups begin preparations on how to tie, launch and maneuver kites, days ahead. Families and friends gather on rooftops to fly kites, share food and sweets, and enjoy music and dance. Kite-flying competitions are a friendly way to celebrate, and participants often use sharp strings to cut each other’s kites. Kite flying competitions on a localised level are held, where people display their skills and creativity.

Lohri and the Robin Hood of Punjab

No Lohri celebrations in Punjab is complete without the folk song, Sundar Mundariye. This Lohri anthem sings praises of Punjab’s Robinhood, Dullah Bhatti, the man, the legend from the sixteenth century. Whether to celebrate a wedding, birth of a child, the song is sung as festivities begin with lighting up a bonfire. Sundar Mundriye explains how Dullah was the savior and protector of young girls, the oppressed and the weak and it is a tool to pass down the story of our folk heroes to the next generation.

Noted theatre thespian Kewal Dhaliwal explains Dullah Bhatti’s relevance and significance to Lohri festival. “Dullah Bhatti, was a Muslim Punjabi rebel, a descendent of the Bhatti clan, which was primarily Jats and Rajputs of Sindh and Punjab. Recognised and celebrated as the first leader of the peasant rebellion in Punjab during Akbar’s reign, Dullah Bhatti’s lores of social banditry and Robin-hood style feats made him a popular figure during the time among masses. In particular, Sundar Mundariye narrates how Dullah saved young girls from the clutches of Mughal nobility, who used to exploit the masses,” said Dhaliwal. Having staged Dullah Bhatti’s history and legend through his stage production Dhamak Nagare Di, written by another legend of Punjabi theatre Gursharan Singh, Dhaliwal says that Dullah Bhatti’s story finds relevance especially when Punjab is witnessing a farmer rebellion once again. “During Lohri, Sundar Mundariye means celebrating the voices of dissent and celebrating our heroes, who rise from the masses,” says Dhaliwal.

Dullah Bhatti’s history is something we share with Lehnda Punjab (Pakistan side of Punjab). His tomb is located in Lahore and Pakistan’s legendary writer, poet Nazm Hussain Syed, wrote about Dullah Bhatti’s life in his play Takht Lahore.