Lohri
Also called Lohadi, Lal Loi
When
Wednesday, 13 January 2027 in 125 days
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See the complete panchang for that day โ
Why this date?
The eve of Makar Sankranti โ the last night of the month of Paush, before the Sun's northward turn. It is fixed to the solar event that follows it, which is why it sits on nearly the same civil date each year.
- Computed by the panchanga engine for your location
- Follows a written selection rule, not a copied list
- Governed by the whole day rather than a specific period
- The written guide has not yet been reviewed by a named scholar
Dates come from the calculation engine and are independent of the written guide. How we calculate โ
Dates in the coming years
- Wednesday, 13 January 2027 in 125 days
- Friday, 14 January 2028 in 491 days
- Saturday, 13 January 2029 in 856 days
- Sunday, 13 January 2030 in 1221 days
Published to 2030. Later years appear as the dataset is extended and validated.
What In short
The Punjab bonfire night marking the end of winter. Sesame, jaggery, popcorn and rewri are thrown into the fire, and it is kept with particular emphasis for a family's first married year or first child.
- Deity: Agni
Why The reason behind it
The fire is the year's turning made visible: the longest nights end here and the harvest of sugarcane and mustard is in. The Dulla Bhatti songs sung around it commemorate a Punjabi figure remembered for rescuing girls from being sold, which gives the night a second and sharper meaning.
Traditional basis
Punjabi folk tradition and the Dulla Bhatti cycle โ The songs sung at the fire and the narrative they carry.
Winter-solstice observance โ The bonfire as the marking of the year's turn, immediately before the Makara sankranti.
How At home, step by step
- Light the bonfire after dark and circle it.
- Offer sesame, jaggery, popcorn, rewri and groundnuts to the fire.
- Sing the Dulla Bhatti songs; children go door to door for Lohri collections.
- Households with a new marriage or a new child host the larger fire.
What you'll need
- Sesame and jaggery
- Rewri, gajak, popcorn and groundnuts
- Firewood
Fasting and breaking the fast
Not a fasting day.
Fasting guidance here describes traditional practice. It is not medical advice โ if you are pregnant, diabetic, on medication or unwell, ask a doctor about your own circumstances.
Personal In your region
- North India yours
Kept in the Punjabi diaspora across the northern states. - Punjab (Punjabi)
The principal observance, and a major family occasion for a first marriage or first child.
For children
A big bonfire on the coldest night of the year. You throw popcorn and sesame sweets into it and sing, and the next day the days start getting longer.
Common questions
- Is Lohri the same as Makar Sankranti?
- No โ it is the night before. Lohri closes the old month with a fire; Makar Sankranti is the solar event the next day. They are kept as a pair in Punjab and separately elsewhere.
Not the same day
These fall nearby or share the tithi, and are often confused with this observance. They are separate, and this site dates them separately.
- Makar Sankranti
This guide has not yet been reviewed by a named scholar or practising priest. The dates and times on this page come from the calculation engine and are independent of it; the explanatory text is editorial and may not reflect your family's practice. Tell us if something is wrong.