Lohri 2026 date: When is Lohri? Check date, shubh muhurat, puja samagri, rituals and all about Punjabi harvest festival

Lohri 2026: Lohri is a traditional harvest festival signifying the end of winter. Check out date, auspicious timings, puja rituals, history and significance.

Lohri 2026: Lohri is a joyous midwinter harvest festival that marks the close of the winter solstice and welcomes longer, brighter days as the Sun starts its northward movement. Deeply embedded in Punjabi culture, it is celebrated a day ahead of Makar Sankranti and holds significant cultural and spiritual value. From important dates to shubh muhurat, here’s everything you need to know about this auspicious celebration.

When is Lohri 2026? Date and muhurat

Lohri is celebrated annually on January 13 and 14 in India, a day before the Hindu festival of Makar Sankranti. Its date is determined by the ancient Bikrami calendar, which integrates lunar and solar cycles. This year, Lohri falls on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, with the Lohri Sankranti moment occurring at 03:13 PM on January 14, 2026, as per Drik Panchang.

Lohri 2026 puja samagri and rituals

Lohri is marked by the lighting of bonfires made from wood and cow dung cakes, a sacred ritual usually performed in open spaces or outside homes. Traditional offerings such as sesame seeds, jaggery, gajak, rewri and peanuts are offered to the fire, while devotees perform parikrama by circling the bonfire as part of the ceremony.

Lohri, a midwinter harvest festival, celebrates agricultural abundance through prayers to fire and sun gods. (HT Photo/Sunil Ghosh)

The festival celebrates agricultural abundance, with prayers dedicated to Agni, the fire god, and Surya Devta, the Sun god, seeking blessings for a prosperous harvest ahead. Families come together around the glowing bonfire, offering festive treats, dancing to energetic dhol beats, and soaking in the warmth and joy that define Lohri celebrations.

Lohri 2026 history and significance

Lohri’s roots lie in age-old folklore and family customs that have been passed down through generations. Traditionally celebrated as a harvest festival, it held special importance for farming communities whose lives and livelihoods were closely tied to agriculture.

Over the years, Lohri has also come to symbolise the worship of fire, representing warmth, light and renewal. The festival marks the gradual retreat of harsh winter and the arrival of longer days. Special foods and offerings are prepared for the sacred bonfire, with the belief that these rituals invite prosperity, dispel negativity and pave the way for a fruitful and hopeful season ahead.