Festival fired up

Ranchi, Jan. 10: With the Celsius slide, any excuse to dance around a bonfire will do.

And when it is a Punjabi festival like Lohri, it no longer remains an excuse; it becomes an extravaganza.

Even though winter at the state capital is in no mood to make a hasty departure — Lohri, after all, signifies the end of winter and the onset of spring — the beats of the dhol will make residents of Ranchi dance go balle balle as clubs in the capital gear up to celebrate the festival.

Lohri, the bonfire festival, also symbolises the upcoming harvest season.

Keeping the theme in mind, clubs and social organisations are making arrangements for an evening of everything Punjabi for members, from food to music.

Jyoti Bajaj, Ranchi Club’s chairperson of entertainment committee said that they decided to celebrate the Lohri festival on January 15. In traditional style, members will dance around bonfires.

“Members will throw sweets made of jaggery, sugar and white til (sesame seeds) into the blaze as well as sing Punjabi folk songs around it in a group. It’s a festival where everyone has fun. The younger crowd will get a chance to hit the dance floor to Punjabi Bollywood songs by Calcutta-based DJ DD,” she said.

The cuisine and the dress code will also reflect the Punjabi feel.

If Ranchi Club has decided to offer wholesome entertainment, the Ranchi Gymkhana Club too has chalked out elaborate Lohri celebration plans. This year, members are quite enthusiastic as it is being organised after a gap of two years. The Lohri celebrations will be held on January 16 from 8pm onwards.

This year, club officials are leaving no stone unturned to make Lohri memorable for members with Punjabi food and music, said chairperson of entertainment committee of RGC, Manisha Budhia.

Social organisations like Punjabi Hindu Biradri comprising Punjabi community members too have decided to organise Sanjhi Lohri at Lala Lajpat Rai School where members and their children will be seen in their festive clothes to celebrate the occasion. “We pray for the well-being of our brethren and those from other communities as it is an auspicious occasion for us,” said member, Arun Chawla.

Lohri, which celebrates fertility and prosperity, and worships fire, flags off revelries with children going from door to door singing folk songs. They are given sweets made of jaggery and til, savouries and money. These collections are known as lohri.

At night after the puja of the Lohri goddess (made out of cattle dung), people gather around a bonfire and throw til, puffed rice, gur, sugar-candy and popcorn into the flames accompanied by, but of course, songs and dance. Prayers are offered to the fire god seeking abundance and prosperity..