Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 12: Like every year, Lohri Festival was celebrated today by Tourism Department in Jammu at Raghunath Bazar Chowk.
The event was organized in collaboration with the District Administration, Jammu and Raghunath Bazar Businessmen Association. On the occasion, Lohri Poojan was carried out while chanting Vedic Mantras and all the participants prayed for peace and prosperity of all. Cultural events depicting local folk dance was organized through J&K Academy of Art Culture and Languages. Besides, the ethnic food stall showing Dogra cuisines was highlight of the festival.
Subash Chander, Deputy Director Tourism (Planning), Jammu, Rahul Mahajan, Accounts Officer, Tourism Jammu along with other officials of Tourism Department were present during the festival. Surinder Mahajan, president, Raghunath Bazar Businessmen Association was also present.
Team Jammu along with Jammu Heritage Society and Jammu Dogra Warriors, Chowghan Slathia Welfare Association, JJSF and Vishav Kashmiri Samaj organized impressive Lohri procession to educate the younger generation about age old traditions of Jammu region.
The Lohri procession that witnessed hundreds of youth, children and elderly, started from historical Mubarak Mandi complex-seat of erstwhile Dogra rulers and culminated at the world famous Shri Raghunath Temple before passing through different routes of the city including Chowk Chabutra, Jain Bazar, Link Road, Purani Mandi, Old Hospital Road, Super Bazaar Market, City Chowk, Rajinder Bazar, Talab Khatikan, Shahidi Chowk and Residency Road.
Route of the procession was especially decorated with buntings, flowers and banners. Various shopkeeper associations, from Mubarak Mandi to Raghunath Bazar had set up stalls of water, juice, fruits and dry fruits to welcome the participants who were beating dhols and singing traditional Dogri songs. People welcomed the procession including Nat Manch artists and school children of Environmental Education Institute, Jain Bazar performing Dhandiya at several places by showering flower petals.
Meanwhile, 92.7 Big FM celebrated Lohri with its Dhun Badlo theme ‘Kudiyun di Lohri’. Big FM visited half a dozen families in Jammu with band-baja to welcome Laxmi (new born) and celebrate their first Lohri. “I am a lucky father because I am bestowed with two daughters”, said one of the parents to 92.7 Big FM.
RJ Rahul and RJ Roohi who went from home to home with their ‘tolis’ were superbly charged and left no chance to dance with families they visited. “It was life changing experience, I had tears in my eyes while seeing so much love and happiness”, said RJ Roohi.
International Dogra Society, a community organization of Dogras based in London from the Indian UT of Jammu and Kashmir celebrated Lohri in London on January 11 at the Indian Gymkhana, Osterley. The event was attended in huge numbers by the Indian diaspora Dogras, Kashmiris, Gujratis Himachalis and Punjabis, along with known community personalities, DP Singh (Consular, High Commission of India, London), Suresh Mangalagiri (community activist), Rashmi Mishra (community activist), Lakshmi Kaul (Director KPCS) and Anju Wadhawa Narang (cultural secretary and vice president of The Punjabi Society of the British Isles).
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