From Choosing Your Attire to Lohri Delicacies, Here is a quick guide on how to make your Lohri memorable
Dhol beats, bonfire and bhangra tunes, you guessed it right. It’s time to say goodbye to winter by celebrating Lohri. Cling on to the folk notes by indulging in the fun and frolic of the festival with your friends and family. Celebrated each year on January 13, to mark the winter solstice and commemorate the traditional onset of the harvest season in Punjab, the festival is full of sight. Here’s a quick guide on how to make your Lohri memorable:
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What to Wear?
The festival of Lohri is connected with Punjab, and if you wish to go all traditional on this day then here’s the trick. Get your hands on a fully embroidered Phulkari Dupatta which is available in various bright and pop colours. Pick whichever you like and combine it with an all-black Patiala salwar and Kurti. Wear colourful jutis to add the fervour of the festival to your wardrobe. Add a sparkling pair of jhumkas. Add a parandi to your differently done plait hairstyle and you are all ready to look like a mutiyaar.
If you are going to reach the party straight from the office, then we have some styling tips for you too. Add a colourful traditional jacket and that’s all. Easy right? Take some inspiration from Kareena Kapoor. She looks uber cool in that colourful jacket which is stealing the limelight. You can also add a Phulkari clutch to your wardrobe and save yourself from looking out of place in a traditional family affair.
If this is your first Lohri since your marriage, then you should look your best. Pamper yourself by getting an outfit for the occasion. You can get a nice traditional dress donning earthly shades. Take a cue from Sonam Kapoor here, who is looking so modern and traditional at the same time, as she wears a nice ferocious orange Anarkali. You can also opt for long Kurtis with a phulkari-infused palazzo salwar.
In the end, learn some gidda steps to rock and roll around the bonfire on the bhangra tunes.
Decor
If you are planning for a terrace Lohri party, then here are some decor tips that might come in handy:
• Make sure you have enough wood for the bonfire. You should not run out of wood, else the mood for the party will be spoiled. There is no Lohri without a Bonfire.
• Arrange for some chairs and mattresses and add these cool phulkari cushions to the decor. These will surely add to the love for the festival.
• You can also add crafted pankhis, tall Lassi glasses, Lahore Bells etc. as props to make the decor look authentic and close to the spirit of the festival.
• Add fairy lights all around and arrange for some folk music associated with the festival. Play ‘Sundar Mundariye’, a folk ballad reciting the tale of Dulla Bhatti and a beautiful girl. Indulge in the music of Gurudass Maan or Minu Bakshi, which go beyond the ‘pop’ playlists.
• If you are preparing for an elaborate affair, then hire a dhol wala dressed in traditional folk outfits. No music can compete with the dhol beats, for sure.
Khana Shana
The festival of Lohri is incomplete without food- the entire family basking around the warmth of the bonfire and bonding over food. We tell you about some dishes that surely need a place on your menu:
Til Gajak
Ingredients:
1 cup Sesame Seeds, 3/4 cup Jaggery, 2 tbsp Ghee, 1/2 tsp Cardamom Powder, 1/2 cup Water
Method:
Heat a pan and roast the sesame seeds on low heat. Keep stirring them to avoid spluttering. Prepare a thick syrup of jaggery, and add cardamom powder and ghee to it. Then add the roasted sesame to the syrup. Spread the sesame-jaggery mixture over an oiled film. Press the mixture and cut it into quirky shapes with a cookie cutter when the mixture cools down.
Wheat Coconut Ladoo
Ingredients:
250 gms Wheat flour, 30 gms Ghee, 200 gms Jaggery and grated Coconut
Method:
Heat a Tava and roast wheat flour on it. Mix the grated jaggery with the flour. Now add ghee and grated coconut to it and mix well. Prepare medium-sized balls after the mixture cools down. Garnish with grated coconut.
Murmuza Patti
Ingredients:
500 gms Murmura, 125 gm Jaggery (mashed), ½ tsp dried Ginger Powder, a pinch of Salt, 1 tbsp Ghee
Method:
Combine jaggery with ghee in a pan and cook on low medium flame, until it melts. Bring it to a boil and remove it from the heat immediately. Add murmura, salt, and ginger powder to it. Transfer the mixture to a buttered dish and spread it out evenly. Cut it into pieces before it solidifies.
Corn Chaat
Ingredients:
1 cup boiled Corn Seeds, 2 tsp Red Chilli powder, 2 tsp Black pepper, Salt (to taste), 3 tbsp fresh Lemon Juice, 3 tbsp Onion (finely chopped)
Method:
To the boiled corn, add salt, tossed onions, red chilli powder, chaat masala, and black pepper and mix them well. Drizzle lemon juice and mix again. Transfer the mixture into serving bowls and garnish with coriander leaves.
Recipe courtesy:
Milk and Khajur
Ingredients:
Sweetened Milk, Dates/ Khajur, Elaichi
Method:
To milk, add some diced khajur and elaichi. The aroma and warmth will do the magic.
Apart from all the above-mentioned recipes, you can serve stuffed parathas, palak pakoras and the winter special Sarso da Saag and Makki di Roti. Show off your culinary skills and make memorable food for Lohri.
Happy Lohri!
