Bonfire, bonne harvest

Come January, and the Punjabi community is all set for the much-anticipated bonfire festival – Lohri. We catch up with a couple of Punjabis in the city who are geared up to celebrate the commencement of the harvest season with gusto.                

‘Aai basant pala udanth’ (symbolising end of the winters and the commencement of spring) is an adage that is synonymous to Lohri— a festival that marks the commencement of a new harvest season. While the festival is celebrated on a much extensive level in northern parts of the country, looks like the fervour of the festival is fast-catching up down south— in namma city.

Talking about the welcome change, Abhijit Singh, a sports writer, links it to the cosmopolitan culture of the city. “ Bengaluru is very open to celebrating a lot of festivals. In fact with so many communities around, there’s a lot more awareness and participation. I’ll be attending a few parties and expect to spend a night around the bonfire with close friends. That said, I must also mention that I’ll miss the kite flying back home. I hope we organise more much traditional events that signify the essence of the festival.”

While many would look forward to eating their heart out and indulging in the signature dishes such as the sarson da sag and makki di roti alongside gajak and revdi; quite a lot of restaurants in the city are all set with a customised menu for the festivity. “Punjabi cuisine is one of the most popular Indian cuisines across the globe. While the classics are always in demand, we are looking at digressing from the usual by adding new dishes and desserts that are a blend of the classics. There’s also an elaborate buffet spread that captures the essence of the delicacies associated with the festival,” states restaurateur Jia Jain, 1947 Group of Restaurants.

Amid the gaiety and a series of picture-taking sessions, the intent behind the celebrations remains the same— to ward off evil and signify a new spark of life. “Punjabis are a jovial lot. We believe in ‘larger than life’ approach. Lohri includes merry-making and spending quality time with your closed ones around the bonfire, but the festival largely has got to do with connecting with our roots and the belief systems that were ingrained into the minds of our ancestors, and has been passed on to the generations after,” states Pratheek Kotha, a marketing professional with an e-commerce giant.  “With the festive spirit in the air, it’s time to let bygones be bygones, and start afresh.” As the city readies itself to soak in the festive spirit, are you ready to join in?