The Dogra Sadar Sabha (DSS) always upfront with secular festivity celebrated Lohri in the traditional way at the Sabha Bhawan. The legendry Dulla Bhatti epic was remembered that has kept the major communities of J&K stitched together over the centuries.
Lohri is celebrated as the end of the coldest nights, and the upcoming harvest, marking the sun’s Uttarayan (northward) journey from Makar Sankranti with bonfires, folk songs, and dancing for thanking the Sun & Fire Gods for warmth; praying for a prosperous agricultural season, and winter crops like sugarcane, Mustard and wheat. It signifies new beginnings, joy, community bonding across religions and blessings on the first Lohri for new-borns and newlyweds.
Rai Abdullah Khan Bhatti, (Dulla Bhatti) was a 16th-century Punjabi folk hero, a Robin Hood-like figure who rebelled against Mughal Emperor Akbar’s oppressive taxes, looting imperial caravans and redistributing wealth to the poor in the Sandal Bar region (now Pakistan). He’ is remembered for rescuing and marrying off two abducted girls, Sundari and Mundri. The event is celebrated during the Lohri festival’s popular song, “Sunderiye-Mundariye”. Ultimately Dulla Bhatti was arrested and hanged in Lahore in 1599 for his defiance. His legend as a champion of the people lives on in Punjabi folklore.
The Lohri festival was held under the DSS President Col Karan Singh, who threw light on the cultural significance and importance of the festival. Those who graced the occasion included Adv H C Jalmaria, Col Dr Virendra K Sahi, VrC, Arvinder Singh Amn, Amanat Ali Shah, Brig Vijay Sagar Dheeman, Ravi Slathia, Neeraj Anand, Rajesh Gupta, Pawan Sharma, Virinder Singh, Dinesh Gupta and others.
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