Gathering around a fire is inherent in humans, dating as far back as around 400,000 years ago. To sit on the ground, beneath the starry sky, around a warm, glowing fire makes us feel cosy and united. There we are equals, embraced with a calm connectedness.
This is how Lohri is celebrated every January 13th by many from the North Indian region and across the world. Being in a circular setting is symbolic of the beliefs in the cycle of life, death and re-birth.
Lohri is a cultural and indigenous Panjabi festival. Panjab is the land of five rivers (Panj means five, Ab means river). With fertile land and water in abundance, known as the breadbasket of India, this region marks the end of winter with the Lohri festival.
Living in harmony with the seasons
The roots of Lohri are in agrarian culture and testament to inclusivity. Many faiths live side by side in Indian villages, much like many cities in the UK today, where environmental community events transcend religious and social boundaries.
Everyone is welcome and can participate as they wish – whether its singing folk songs, dancing, throwing seed offerings to the fire and listening to them crackle, or simply sitting in the warmth and glow of the flames.
Taking time to contemplate our resilience during the harsh winter months and looking forward with gratitude to the upcoming harvest season for the bounty of food we are about to receive.
Hope and hard work are essential to farming life and with so many ancestral links to the farming community, Panjabis around the world still honour this seasonal festival.
Lohri shares common threads with other cultures and traditions around winter solstice. There is a readiness to grow as we welcome spring, warmer weather and lighter days. It is a festival symbolic of new beginnings and we honour harmony with natural cycles.
This is evidenced particularly with seasonal foods and dishes such as ‘sarson ka saag’ made from mustard greens and other leafy green vegetables; ‘makki di roti’, a flatbread made with cornmeal/maize flour; and ‘gajak’, a crunchy nutritious snack made from sesame seeds, jaggery and peanuts.
Women and the environment
In the spirit of new beginnings, new members of the family are given special recognition, particularly babies born that year and daughters-in-law marrying into the family. Daughters-in-law are honoured as they will help continue to grow the family – legacy matters and morals are instilled through mothers.
Women hold a high position in environmental protection as many of the household decisions for daily life are often made by them, so they have the opportunity to make environmentally friendly decisions.
Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the first Sikh guru, said: ‘Pavan guru, paani pita, mata dharat mahat’ – Air is our guru, water is our father, and earth is our great mother’. The earth gives us food and the land is worshipped through the festival of Lohri. Farming needs families to work together in order to succeed.
Food security and honouring traditional ways
Cultural traditions such as Lohri are passed down and parts of it can align with some religious beliefs around the connection with nature. As with many indigenous traditions, modern conveniences can take away from the sacred qualities and true essence.
Now more than ever, as we see indigenous ways providing solutions to the climate crisis (as demonstrated at last year’s COP30 in Brazil), we are naturally drawn to festivals such as Lohri that take us back to our early ancestors’ seasonal lifestyles. This is much needed at a time when food security is of concern because of global warming and the act of sharing food is a form of seva (selfless service).
Ancient practices such as crop rotation, agroforestry and others are now globally used to restore soil health and wildlife. Over-consumption, greed and capitalist culture, where we take more than what we need, must stop.
Places of worship named after trees
Tree planting season runs from Nov to March, so Lohri marks a good time to take part in local tree planting initiatives. In Panjab there are efforts to boost biodiversity and bring back native species while planting microforests using the Miyawaki technique. This method is where dense growth takes place in small spaces.
In the UK, Sikhs have been involved in many tree planting projects across the country. One of these is Guru Nanak Woodland Forest in Leeds, a public space for all to enjoy with community tree planting and watering events. Some of the tree types there include field maple, crab apple, oak, silver birch and willow.
Gurdwaras (Sikh places of worship) in India were often named after trees because the buildings were put up where our Guru’s rested or worshipped on their travels to spread the message of love and peace. The shade of the tree would offer a safe space for respite, reflection, conversation and prayer.
Honouring the natural elements that ensure our survival is one of the highest forms of worship and we should all work together on conservation efforts.
Amandeep Kaur Maan is Co-founder of EcoSikhUK, a community organisation rooted in faith values to raise awareness about climate change. She is also Commissioner for the Yorkshire and Humber Climate Commission and Co-chair of their Communities and engagement group.
This blog is a part of a series that explores various religious festivals and awareness days, showcasing diverse spiritual perspectives on our relationship with the natural world.