Lohri is round the corner and our telly actors are
gearing up to celebrate the festival. They tell us their plans and what they
love about their Punjabi culture.
Ssharad Malhotraa - Lohri represents full masti,
because the weather is good and one really enjoys wearing good clothes and
sitting around a bonfire. It gives positive vibes. I have many great memories
from the time I lived in Kolkata. Our neighbours used to gather around our
building and then we all would eat delicacies and later dance around the
bonfire! This year, I will be celebrating Lohri with my close friends in
Mumbai. Later, I’ll probably go for dinner to a friendly place.
Smiriti Kalra - During Lohri, as children we used
to run around the bonfire. Early morning we used to collect wood for the
bonfire. I used to make popcorn in the cooker. So the effort of preparing for
Lohri are the best memories. What I love most being a Punjabi are people's
assumptions that we love food a lot. I remember we would eat so much on Lohri.
I am shooting on Lohri but it's my brother's first Lohri after getting married
and we will be celebrating it in a very grand way.
Himmanshoo Malhotraa - I am actually planning to
go to Ludhiana in Punjab to meet my cousins and celebrate there along with my
hardcore Punjabi cousins! I feel the way Lohri is celebrated in Punjab, it’s
not celebrated anywhere else. Yes, I have beautiful childhood memories of the
festival, going door to door to my neighbours and asking them the delicacies
they have prepared for the Lohri and relishing it with my friends at my
terrace! Amazing memories! I feel Punjabis are more generous and kind-hearted, that’s
one core quality I admire in them besides the fact that we all love delicious
food. We are foodies by birth.
Jasmin Bhasin - During Lohri, all our family
members and relatives gather around the bonfire. Peanuts and jaggery are
offered as basically, it's a farmer's festival. Lohri is a popular wintertime
Punjabi folk festival. We all sing traditional songs and have our food
together. This is how I have grown up celebrating Lohri with my family. My
special memories are because I grew up in a joint family, we were 20 to 25
people, who used to come together and celebrate Lohri. We used to have a night
full of fun, dance, and laughter. So those are my special memories of that
festival. The most that I love about being a Punjabi is that personally, I feel
Punjabis are very broad-minded and they are very happy-go-lucky people. They
want to live their life to the fullest and they don't want to bother about the
future. They believe in living in the moment and living to the fullest. I think
that is the best thing I love about being a Punjabi.
Gunjan Utreja - I am visiting Chandigarh on Lohri,
all my cousins and friends are getting together to be a part of the
celebrations. Lohri is all about dancing around the bonfire all night long. And
what better way to celebrate the same than with your close friends and family.
My mom will be cooking a wonderful Punjabi meal and my sister will bake some
mouth-watering desserts.
Gavie Chahal: I will celebrate the festival by
attending a Lohri event “Lohri Di Raat” by Punjabi cultural Heritage of Charan
Singh sapra ( member Legislative council). This will be followed by some other
events and will end the day with a celebration with my family.
