DAJE NAJ
LOHRI
the bonfire festival
n January 13th, deep in the cold of midwinter,
the people of northern India and especially the Punjab
region, celebrate the colourful winter fertility festival, Lohri. The
origins and reasons for this bonfire festival have been lost in the
mists of time, but they are associated with a number of fables and
folk legends. One of these is a Punjabi version of Robin Hood, about
a great warrior called Dulla Bhatti. Dulla Bhatti had rebelled against
the king and he used to rob the rich and rescue poor girls who had
been kidnapped and were about to be sold in foreign slave markets.
Dulla is a great hero in Punjabi tradition.
Another belief about the Lohri tradition is that it began as a
celebration of the eve of the winter solstice, or the shortest day of
This is despite the fact that the festival takes place three
the year.
weeks after the official and scientifically accepted date of the winter
solstice on 21st December. But whatever the case may be, everyone
agrees that Lohri celebrates the end of the long cold dark winter
months and the beginning of the new farming year and that it's a
festival that brings everyone together, irrespective of their religion.
On the day of Lohri, children go from door to door singing
traditional songs. Many praise the great hero Dulla Bhatti and
others are humorous nonsense songs only sung for Lohri. In return
for the entertainment, the children receive gifts known as lohri.
These are collections of tasty treats made up of many ingredients.
such as sesame seeds, peanuts, sweets and other goodies. Later on,
during the evening's festivities, the children will give out some of
the treats they have received and share their bounty with others.
One of the reasons for this custom is that the Lohri festival is closely
associated with the approaching harvest of winter crops (rabi crops)
such as wheat, barley, peas and mustard. Apart from distributing
treats to children, people take a variety of foods to temples and
other places of worship in order to ensure a good crop.
Later in the day people dress up in their finest and most colourful
clothes. The women in rich silk saris and the men in delicately
embroidered jackets. As dusk begins to fall large bonfires are lit in
the towns and villages all over the territories of northern India. Then
people toss sweets and sesame seeds into the fire and sing songs as
the men dance the lively Bhangra dances around the fire. Some
people also throw milk and water around the fire or perform prayers
in honour of the sun god and to ask for his protection in the coming
farming year.
After the singing and dancing, when the ceremonies are over and
the fire has died out, people take the embers from the bonfire to
light a new fire in their homes. They believe the embers will help
keep them and their animals healthy and they will also help to
ensure a good harvest in the coming months. Then friends and
relatives meet to exchange gifts and distribute the goodies collected
earlier in the day. A traditional dish of Indian curry with mustard
leaves and spinach is prepared and is served with a traditional type
of bread made from a variety of different seeds. The fun and
feasting usually continues late into the night. The following day is
believed to be a favourable day to take a holy bath in the river and
practise charity. Lohri is more than just a festival, it is a celebration of
the gift of life.
4 Check
Reading
1 Read the text and choose the best
answer, A, B, C or D, according to the
text.
1 Lohri is
A a national holiday in India.
B celebrated only in the Punjab region.
C an international festival in India.
D a seasonal regional festival.
2 Dulla Bhatti
A used to kidnap girls.
B
is another name for Robin Hood.
C was an enemy of the king.
D sold poor people to slave markets.
bolter
3 Many people believe that Lohri
A is not a religious festival.
B is the shortest day of the year.
C is the official winter solstice.
D is a festival for people of all religions.
4 On Lohri day, children
A sing nonsense songs about a hero.
B receive and give gifts.
C visit the local temple.
D tell their neighbours jokes.
5 People light bonfires
A before dressing for the ceremonies.
B late in the evening.
00
C only in the countryside of north India.
D at sunset.
6 During the ceremonies, only men
A say the prayers to the sun god.
B perform the ritual dances.
C sing songs at the bonfire.
D throw sweets and seeds in the fire.
7 People believe the embers they take
home will help
A cure them of illnesses.
B their crops to grow.
C them keep their home fires burning.
D them acquire more animals.
eaje
do!
8 The day after Lohri is considered a good
day to
A bathe in the sea.
B make a donation.
C cook a curry.
D continue feasting.
(8x2=16)
6
LOHRI
the bonfire festival
n January 13th, deep in the cold of midwinter,
the people of northern India and especially the Punjab
region, celebrate the colourful winter fertility festival, Lohri. The
origins and reasons for this bonfire festival have been lost in the
mists of time, but they are associated with a number of fables and
folk legends. One of these is a Punjabi version of Robin Hood, about
a great warrior called Dulla Bhatti. Dulla Bhatti had rebelled against
the king and he used to rob the rich and rescue poor girls who had
been kidnapped and were about to be sold in foreign slave markets.
Dulla is a great hero in Punjabi tradition.
Another belief about the Lohri tradition is that it began as a
celebration of the eve of the winter solstice, or the shortest day of
This is despite the fact that the festival takes place three
the year.
weeks after the official and scientifically accepted date of the winter
solstice on 21st December. But whatever the case may be, everyone
agrees that Lohri celebrates the end of the long cold dark winter
months and the beginning of the new farming year and that it's a
festival that brings everyone together, irrespective of their religion.
On the day of Lohri, children go from door to door singing
traditional songs. Many praise the great hero Dulla Bhatti and
others are humorous nonsense songs only sung for Lohri. In return
for the entertainment, the children receive gifts known as lohri.
These are collections of tasty treats made up of many ingredients.
such as sesame seeds, peanuts, sweets and other goodies. Later on,
during the evening's festivities, the children will give out some of
the treats they have received and share their bounty with others.
One of the reasons for this custom is that the Lohri festival is closely
associated with the approaching harvest of winter crops (rabi crops)
such as wheat, barley, peas and mustard. Apart from distributing
treats to children, people take a variety of foods to temples and
other places of worship in order to ensure a good crop.
Later in the day people dress up in their finest and most colourful
clothes. The women in rich silk saris and the men in delicately
embroidered jackets. As dusk begins to fall large bonfires are lit in
the towns and villages all over the territories of northern India. Then
people toss sweets and sesame seeds into the fire and sing songs as
the men dance the lively Bhangra dances around the fire. Some
people also throw milk and water around the fire or perform prayers
in honour of the sun god and to ask for his protection in the coming
farming year.
After the singing and dancing, when the ceremonies are over and
the fire has died out, people take the embers from the bonfire to
light a new fire in their homes. They believe the embers will help
keep them and their animals healthy and they will also help to
ensure a good harvest in the coming months. Then friends and
relatives meet to exchange gifts and distribute the goodies collected
earlier in the day. A traditional dish of Indian curry with mustard
leaves and spinach is prepared and is served with a traditional type
of bread made from a variety of different seeds. The fun and
feasting usually continues late into the night. The following day is
believed to be a favourable day to take a holy bath in the river and
practise charity. Lohri is more than just a festival, it is a celebration of
the gift of life.
4 Check
Reading
1 Read the text and choose the best
answer, A, B, C or D, according to the
text.
1 Lohri is
A a national holiday in India.
B celebrated only in the Punjab region.
C an international festival in India.
D a seasonal regional festival.
2 Dulla Bhatti
A used to kidnap girls.
B
is another name for Robin Hood.
C was an enemy of the king.
D sold poor people to slave markets.
bolter
3 Many people believe that Lohri
A is not a religious festival.
B is the shortest day of the year.
C is the official winter solstice.
D is a festival for people of all religions.
4 On Lohri day, children
A sing nonsense songs about a hero.
B receive and give gifts.
C visit the local temple.
D tell their neighbours jokes.
5 People light bonfires
A before dressing for the ceremonies.
B late in the evening.
00
C only in the countryside of north India.
D at sunset.
6 During the ceremonies, only men
A say the prayers to the sun god.
B perform the ritual dances.
C sing songs at the bonfire.
D throw sweets and seeds in the fire.
7 People believe the embers they take
home will help
A cure them of illnesses.
B their crops to grow.
C them keep their home fires burning.
D them acquire more animals.
eaje
do!
8 The day after Lohri is considered a good
day to
A bathe in the sea.
B make a donation.
C cook a curry.
D continue feasting.
(8x2=16)
6
Odpowiedź:
1. D
2. C
3. B
4. B
5. D
6. B
7. B
8. B
Wyjaśnienie: