Lohri is the most important festival for Punjab and many parts of North India. True to the Punjabi spirit and their joyous nature any major festival is incomplete without the traditional songs and dances.
From the morning when children run to each and every house in their locality to late at night when all gather next to the holy bonfire, songs are integral part of the festival. Very similar to the tradition of going door to door for sweets and treats like Halloween, the children ask for treats but they sing when asking.
The song or couplets for children are:
"Dabba bharaya leera da" "Ai ghar ameera da!!”
Meaning - “A Box filled of old tattered cloth strips but this house is of the rich!”
Another one goes as: "Hukka bhai Hukkaa" "Ai ghar bhukka"
Meaning - Hukka! Oh! Hukka!....this house is full of misers or is empty!
Lohri brings with it the freshness of spring and a cheerful awareness of all things new. The couplet most often quoted for the season when Lohri arrives is:
“Ayi Rut Basant Di, Te Mooli Chadiya Bheen,
Dhoopa Pargat Hoiya, Te Ghar Nu Chaliya Seen.”
It is translated as the season of spring or Basant has arrived, the radishes are flowering/seeds, the sun has appeared again and the cold is going back to its home.
Music is the soul of Punjab, its vibrant numbers livens up all occasions. The most famous song is associated with Dulla Bhatti during Lohri. In the song sung most popularly, he is thanked for his good deeds :
Sunder mundriye ho! Tera kaun vicharaa ho!
Dullah Bhatti walla ho! Dullhe di dhee vyayae ho!
Ser shakkar payee ho! Kudi da laal pathaka ho!
Kudi da saalu paata ho! Salu kaun samete!
Chache choori kutti! zamidara lutti!
Zamindaar sudhaye! Bade bhole aaye!
Ek bhola reh gaya! Sipahee far ke lai gaya!
Sipahee ne mari itt! Sanoo de de Lohri, te teri jeeve jodi!
Bhaanvey ro te bhaanvey pitt!
The song is translated as -
Oh! Beautiful girl, Who will think about you?
Dulla of the Bhatti clan will, Dulla s will get the daughter married.
He will give one ser/kilo of sugar! The girl is wearing a red suit!
But her shawl is torn! Who will stitch her shawl?!
The uncle made a dish of roti and ghee but the landlords looted it!
Landlords are beaten up! Lots of simpleton boys came!
One simpleton got left behind and the soldier arrested him!
The soldier hit him with a brick, but you give us our lohri!
Long live your pair as a married couple!
Whether you cry, or bang your head later! Give us some Lohri,
Another poem which is sung when asking for Lohri is -
Saalee paireen juttee!
Jeevey sahib dee kuttee! Kuttee no nikalya phoraah
Jeevey sahib da ghorah! Ghorey uttay kaathee
Jeevey sahib da haathee! Haathee neh maarya padd
Dey maaee daanya da chajj
This is also sung when asking for Lohri while going door to door. Its translation goes as -
My sister-in-law has slippers on her feet!
Long may live the master’s dog! The dog developed a sore! Long live the master’s horse! The horse has a saddle!
Long live the master’s elephant! The elephant let out a loud fart!
Hey old woman, give us basket full of popcorn!!
Another song sung during Lohri celebrations especially in houses where there has been a marriage or engagement is-
Hulle nee maiyee hulle! Do beri patte jhulle!
Do jhul payeaan kahjurran, Khajurran suttya meva,
Es munde de ghar mangeva, Es munde di voti niki,
Oh! khandi choori kutdi, Kut! Kut! Bharaya thaal,
Woti bave nananaa nal, Nanaan te wadi parjaee
So kudma de ghar aayee! mein lohri lain aayee!
The song sings about the engagement of a boy in the house -
Slowly mother, slowly. Two berry leaves are hanging.
Two dates upon a tree and their leaves are also hanging.
The tree shed the fruit of dates.
There’s an engagement in this boy’s house and the boy’s wife is short.
She makes a sugar and chappati sweet and grinds the sweet/choori.
She grinds and grinds and filled a plate.
She is liked by her sisters-in-law and with the sister-in-law is the elder son’s wife.
She has come to her in-laws house and I have come to take my Lohri.
The customs and traditions associated with Lohri are synonymous with vibrant, fun filled, jovial festive spirit and it is celebrated with tongue in cheek humor and the songs and couplets convey the same.
लोहड़ी गीत (पंजाबी और हिमाचली) हिंदी में पढ़ें और वीडियो में सुनें, क्लिक करें