Council Member Spotlight: Sonal Maheshwari
Enter a world of delicacies and seasonal treats that Sonal so expertly crafts with her ingenuity and talent... read on!
‘Homemade, homebaked and handcrafted makes for a perfect gift.’
Sonal Maheshwari, food enthusiast, home chef, creator and the founder of 7SPOONN, has this to say about Lohri.
Lohri is a popular winter folk festival celebrated mainly in Punjab and Haryana. It is observed on the 13th day of January in the Lunar month of Magh, according to the Hindu calendar. The festival marks the end of the winter solstice. It is celebrated with great enthusiasm and joy by people of all ages.
On Lohri, people light bonfires and perform traditional Bhangra and Gidda dances around the fire. A popular folklore links Lohri to the tale of valour of Dulla Bhatti, who lived in Punjab during the reign of Mughal Emperor Akbar. He would rob the rich and help the needy and poor. As per historians, once he saved a girl from kidnappers and took care of her like his daughter. On her wedding day, he even performed the rituals in the absence of a priest. People loved him and respected him, and began to sing the folk song ‘Sundar-Mundriye’ every year on the occasion of Lohri.
The Lohri bonfire is a symbol of the Sun and the warmth it brings after the cold winter months. This festival is also a time for people to come together and exchange gifts, sweets and snacks. It is a special celebration for newlyweds and newborn babies.
Lohri is a time for people to come together and celebrate the end of winter and the arrival of spring. It is also a celebration of the harvest season, and it is traditional to offer the first harvest of the year to the bonfire as an offering to the Gods. This is done as a gratitude for the harvest and to seek blessings for the coming year. We also offer Til (sesame seeds), Rewari (sweet candy made with jaggery or sugar), and popcorn to the bonfire.
Lohri is also called Tilhori, which comes from two words: til and rorhi (jaggery). It is a time for people to come together and celebrate the end of winter and the arrival of spring.
If you’re someone who likes to make celebratory foods at home, here is a quick, tried-and-tested recipe of Til Pinni:
• Roast and coarsely ground white sesame seeds.
• Take double the quantity of khoya and cook it till it melts.
• Cool it down a bit and add sugar to taste.
• Make round-shaped ladoos while it’s still warm.
In the last two years, while the pandemic bogged us all down, the spirit of Lohri could not be dampened as we created mini bonfires in our homes to celebrate the festival.
Happy Lohri to everyone 💕
You can reach out to me on my social media handles to order Lohri specials and other delicacies for the winter season.
𝑇𝑜 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑎𝑛 𝑜𝑟𝑑𝑒𝑟, 𝐷𝑀 on Instagram for seasonal treats and delicious festival goodies:
A Bonfire of Delights
Gift Hampers
Sesame sweet delights
Order your favourites!
The Knowledge Repository
Lohri is the first festival of the New Year and is a popular harvest festival that is celebrated with great fervour and enthusiasm all across Punjab, and parts of Haryana, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu, and Delhi. It is celebrated by Sikhs and culturally by Hindus across the country and worldwide. Lohri, also known as Lohadi or Lal Loi, falls one day before Makar Sankranti, another Hindu festival that falls on January 14/15 every year. Lohri marks the end of winter and the start of longer days. It is celebrated to welcome the sun to the northern hemisphere. However, it is traditionally associated with harvesting rabi crops.
The celebration involves lighting a bonfire, doing parikrama of the bonfire and devoting puffed rice, jaggery, sesame seeds, popcorn, and coconut to the fire and praying to the almighty for a prosperous New Year. People also sing folk songs and perform traditional dances, especially bhangra and gidda, on this auspicious occasion.
The menu of the holy festival includes all things warm and healthy. From Gajak, Rewari, Till Laddoo, and Peanut Chikki to Makki Di Roti and Sarso Da Saag, the menu is elaborate and satiating.
Source:
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/food-news/lohri-2023-story-history-and-significance-of-the-festival-and-foods-to-eat-on-lohri/articleshow/96899317.cms
Here is a poem by ChatGPT on Lohri!
Enjoy what Artificial Intelligence has to say in poetic terms…
The bonfire burns bright on Lohri night,
As we dance and sing with all our might,
The harvest is in, the fields are bare,
We give thanks for the bountiful fare.
The sweet smell of til and gur in the air,
Makes our hearts and stomachs fair,
We join hands, young and old,
As we celebrate Lohri, a story told.
Of the brave Dulla Bhatti, a legend of yore,
Who stood up for the poor,
And fought against oppression and plight,
On this night, we remember his fight.
As we toss popcorn and peanuts into the fire,
We make wishes for a happy life and desire,
Lohri may bring happiness and prosperity
For all, and may the new year bring joy and unity,
So let us dance and sing,
On this Lohri night, our hearts take wing.
Enjoy the Lohri songs of this season and get the chill out of our systems!