Essence Of Lohri and Makar Sankranti Celebrations at Tiger Estate

Lohri  is the first of India’s rich and diverse mélange of festivals celebrated with great pomp and energy across different regions of the country, the first festival of the new calendar year. This is also going to be the first Lohri festival to be celebrated in Tiger Estate.  

In North India, this harvesting festival begins the year’s festivities with a tribute to the farmers for their hard toil and labor that enables us to live prosperous lives.

This is the harvest season for Punjabi farmers when they begin to reap the bounty of their harvest of the Rabi crops – mainly wheat. This also marks the end of the winter solstice, after which we can expect warmer and longer days.

What to expect during Lohri

It is the first celebration of the year, naturally any festival in India is incomplete without its array of food and other delicacies. Food connects people, starts conversations, keeps us healthy – this is the true essence of any Indian festival, keeping people together, accepting life and leaving behind the good and bad memories of the past year and taking the blessings of the Almighty to bless our days ahead of us. 

Both children and adults are equally excited about Lohri, the kitchen fills the house with the fragrance of sweets and saag. In the evening, the entire family with the neighbors gather together around the holy bonfire exchanging greetings and wishes to pray together. Women, men and children then dance to the tune of the majestic dhol. 

How Lohri is celebrated

People take a dip in the holy waters of rivers to cleanse themselves of their sins.

They also donate to charity as a mark of sharing the bounties they have been blessed with.

Children traditionally visit every house in the neighborhood singing songs and collecting contributions for the bonfire.

Sarson ka saag (mustard greens) and makki ki roti (millet bread rolled flat and roasted on a pan), and sugarcane kheer (pudding) are the special Lohri food items prepared on this day.

Phully (popcorn), gunna (sugar cane), moongphali (peanuts) and gajak (a sweet dish made of sesame seeds or peanuts and jaggery) are traditional snacks.

Lohri and Makar Sankranti Celebrations at Tiger Estate

On this auspicious occasion, Tiger Estate is organizing special festivities and our esteemed guests can enjoy special delicacies as well as a night of the holy bonfire, along with some music to add to the great ambiance. We also have special heating arrangements in our well furnished cottages and rooms  to mitigate cold. 

One can write to us at tigerestate@yahoo.com  and also visit www.thetigereste.com for more information. 

How to reach Tiger Estate:

Nearest Airport – Jolly Grant International Airport Dehradun – 35 Km

Nearest Railway Station – Rishikesh – 23 KM

One can reach by road also.