India celebrates Lohri, gears up for Makar Sankranti

The festival of Lohri was celebrated with traditional fervour in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh on Wednesday.

IMAGE: Students from Shahzada Nand College, wearing traditional Punjabi attire, perform Gidha during an event to celebrate the Lohri festival in Amritsar, on Wednesday. Photograph: PTI Photo

Bonfires, an important part of the festivities, were lit as families danced to the tunes of famous festival songs like 'Sundar mundriye ho'.

IMAGE: Farmers with their family celebrate Lohri festival during their ongoing protest against the new farm laws, at Singhu border in New Delhi, on Wednesday. Photograph: Manvender Vashist/PTI Photo

During the day, children and youngsters held kite-flying competitions at many places, including Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Amritsar.

IMAGE: Artists dance around a bonfire during the Lohri festival celebrations, in Jammu, on Wednesday. Photograph: PTI Photo

Amid the ongoing farmers' protest against the Centre's three farm laws, kites with messages of 'No Farmer No Food', 'Kisan' and 'Kisan Ekta Zindabad' written on them were a hit among the youths.

IMAGE: Members of the Sikh community celebrate Lohri festival, in Bhopal, on Wednesday. Photograph: PTI Photo

The sky was dotted with multi-coloured kites of different sizes and shapes carrying 'Happy Lohri' messages.

IMAGE: Artists, dressed in traditional Punjabi attire, perform during an event on the occasion of Lohri festival, at GIP Mall in Noida, on Wednesday. Photograph: PTI Photo

Traditionally, Lohri celebrates the onset of the harvest season in Punjab.

Women in traditional attire performed Gidha, a folk dance, at many places.

IMAGE: Roosters fight during Bhogi festival celebration, in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh, on Wednesday. Photograph: PTI Photo

People also distributed jaggery, peanuts, and popcorns--the three edibles associated with Lohri.

IMAGE: Despite restrictions, cockfights were held in various parts AP on the eve of Sankranti. Photograph: PTI Photo

Prime Minister Modi also extended Lohri and Bhogi greetings to everyone.

'I pray that this special day fills everyone's lives with happiness and good health,' he said and also tweeted his wishes in Telugu and Punjabi.

IMAGE: Sindhu Sena activists distribute kites depicting Ayodhya's Ram Temple on the eve of Makar Sankranti festival, in Bhopal, on Wednesday. Photograph: PTI Photo

Bhogi is the first day of the four-day Makar Sankranti festival.

IMAGE: A man flies a kite on the eve of Makar Sankranti festival, at RK Beach, in Visakhapatnam, on Wednesday. Photograph: PTI Photo

Makar Sankranti will be celebrated on Thursday.

IMAGE: People buy kites with drawings of farmers printed on them on the eve of Makar Sankranti in Patiala, on Wednesday. Photograph: PTI Photo

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