Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 13: Lohri festival was celebrated with traditional fervor and gaiety in Jammu today.
The people lit bonfire at different places and also exchanged Lohri greetings to each other to maintain the tradition.
Children attired in traditional dresses were seen busy visiting from door to door in their localities to say Lohri greetings and were given pleasantries and gifts in exchange. The entire Jammu city gave a festive look as there was huge rush on shops with people making purchasing of ground nuts, walnuts, rewdi, fruits etc.
In the evening people also lit bonfire in their respective house and performed Lohri celebrations in a traditional way. A special pooja was also performed by them on the occasion.
To celebrate the Lohri a function was also held at Geeta Bhawan Jammu which was attended by a large number of people. Besides, lighting bonfire the gathering danced to the drum beats and also extended greetings to each other.
Likewise the day long Lohri celebrations were held in other parts of the city with people lighting bonfire at different chowks and lanes and extending Lohri greetings to people.
Lohri was also celebrated in a traditional way in Kathua, Samba, Udhampur, Ramban, Rajouri, Poonch, Kishtwar and Doda districts with people extending Lohri greetings to each other.
A colorful function was organized by New Young Blood Organisation at Old Age Ashram Jammu under the chairmanship of Dr Rajinder Thappa and Ashok Verma its chairman.
On the occasion sweets, fruit and ground nuts were distributed among the Ashram inmates and they were also extended the Lohri greetings by the members of the organization who wished them healthy and disease free life also.
A colorful cultural bonanza was organized by the inmates and Jail administrative staff of District Jail Rajouri to celebrate the Lohri festival under the enthusiastic supervision of Superintendent District Jail Rajouri.
The traditional bonfire was lit as per religious rituals to mark the ending of winter and inmates offered prayers to Almighty for welfare of their families and hoping a better Spring session. Participants including jail staff and inmates enthusiastically and jovially participated in the activities of the programme including cultural programme to mark the auspicious occasion of Lohri. The programme concluded with disbursement of traditional Prasad, sweets and tea.
All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference today organized Lohri Celebration program wherein even AJKPC leaders from Kashmir region belonging to Muslim community too participated in the event. The Panchayat leaders also lit holy bonfire and performed the rituals. On this occasion senior leader of the party including its chairman Shafiq Mir, president Anil Sharma, Aftab Baigh, Nazir Ahmed, Bashir Muhaamad, Goutam Singh Jamwal, Uttam Chand, Puran Chand Sharma, S. Makhan Singh, S. Tarlok Singh and others were present.
While briefing the colleagues about significance of this holy festival of Lohri, Anil Sharma, the president of the organization threw light on historical and traditional value of celebrating this festival together in Northern India.
The members of Parivartan (NGO) today celebrated “Lohri” festival with bonfire in the premises of their office with religious fervor and zeal, besides, office bearers and members of NGO were also present during the celebration.
President, Parivartan, while speaking on the occasion, said that we should remember our Dogra culture and narrated the story of the Lohri festival. He said that the youth and the people are forgetting our Rich Dogra culture and heritage and moving towards the Western culture. He further added that Lohri festival is the mark of our unity and national integrity. We should celebrate Lohri unitedly and should convey a message of love amongst the people.
Dogra Sadar Sabha J&K celebrated Lohri festival with bonfire in the premises of Dogra Sadar Sabha with religious fervour and zeal. The speakers speaking on the occasion threw light on the importance of this festival.
Former Minister Gulchain Singh Charak, President Dogra Sadar Sabha while speaking on the occasion congratulated the people of Jammu in maintaining communal harmony.
Prominent among those who present on the occasion were included Dr N K Dogra, Prem Sagar Gupta, Gambhir Dev Singh Charak, Sr. Kulbir Singh, S. Hakumat Singh, S. J. S Mangal, Annil Suri, Dr Col Virender Kumar Sahi , Neeraj Anand, Rajesh Gupta and Syed Amanat Ali Shah.
The inmates of Jammu Red Cross Society (JRC) Home for Handicapped, Udheywala and Bhartiya Lok Sangeet Kala Sansthan (BLSKS) celebrated Lohri with the families of Governing body members of home. The function was inaugurated by Surinder Kumar Choudhary, MLC-Nowshara (Rajouri).
Over 80 inmates including 20 deaf & dumb unturned about their physical capabilities gave scintillating cultural performance. The celebration culminated with bonfire with gathering singing and dance in the folk tunes of the Lohri recited by the artists of BLSKS.
People’s Democractic Party celebrated Lohri festival with bonfire at Kacchi Chawani with party workers as well as local residents and large number of other prominent persons of the civil society participated. Vikram Singh, PDP Youth leader speaking on the occasion threw light on the importance of this festival. Sweets were distributed and the peoples dance on the tune of drum to celebrate the festival.
BJP senior leader and MLC Vibodh Gupta today celebrated Lohri with the poor and underprivileged Children of Kalika Colony Jammu. On this occasion MLC also distributed sweets and gifts to the children. Addressing the children and other signatories Vibodh said that during our festivals we must also think about the children of poor sections of our society.
Lohri festival was celebrated by International Institute of Fashion Technology with lot of exuberance and Fanfare in SOS Children’s Village. The occasion started with the speeches highlighting the importance of Lohri, which ushers in cheerful spring season bidding adieu to the dull winters. The function was followed by gathering around bonfire. The students of SOS Children’s village and IIFT performed various programme’s including games, singing and dancing items which were thoroughly enjoyed by all.
Childline Jammu celebrated Lohri with enthusiasm with fervour and enthusiasm at Care Home-A Home for mentally retarded children, here today. The function started with Bonfire amidst which the children danced on the tunes and rituals of the festival. Speeches were given on the importance of the day on the occasion.
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