Chandigarh celebrated the vibrant midwinter harvest festival of Lohri on Monday and Tuesday. The festival marks the end of the winter solstice and welcomes longer days ahead. Across the city, people gathered for traditional rituals, lit bonfires, and enjoyed cultural programmes.
Lohri Celebrations at Panjab University
Panjab University hosted lively Lohri celebrations on its campus. Faculty members, administrative staff, and students participated with great enthusiasm. The main event took place near the single-window enquiry cell.
Teachers, students, and senior officers came together for customary prayers. They also enjoyed folk songs and dance performances that added energy to the occasion.
Vice-Chancellor's Address and Calendar Release
Vice-Chancellor Renu Vig addressed the function organised by the PU Non-Teaching Employees' Federation. She extended warm greetings to students, alumni, and all stakeholders.
Vig stated that Lohri symbolizes new beginnings and collective effort. She emphasized the festival's message of gratitude towards nature. During the programme, the vice-chancellor released the official Panjab University calendar for the year 2026.
Citywide Festivities and Traditions
Lohri celebrations spread across Chandigarh in government offices, educational institutions, and residential societies. In many sectors, residents gathered around community bonfires during the evening hours.
People performed traditional rituals by offering peanuts, rewri, til, and gur into the fire. The festivities featured colorful folk songs, energetic bhangra dances, and graceful giddha performances.
Historical Roots and Cultural Significance
Lohri finds its roots in ancient agrarian traditions of Punjab. The festival connects to fire worship and celebrates the sun's northward movement after the winter solstice.
Popular folklore associated with Lohri includes ballads of Dulla Bhatti. This 16th-century Punjabi folk hero is remembered for his brave defiance against oppression. The festival is mainly observed in Punjab and neighbouring northern states.
Lohri represents gratitude towards nature for the harvest of rabi crops. These include important crops like wheat and sugarcane. The festival brings communities together to celebrate agricultural abundance and cultural heritage.
