Coming of Spring in Mid-Winter

Today festival of 'Lohari' is being celebrated as it commences the change in the Sun's ascendancy in the sky; from now on the Sun will be progressively be higher in the sky, and its direct, stronger rays will warm the Earth.End of Winter is being celebrated.People are happy that cold nights will be over and days will be getting longer.All over North India,people lit a bon-fires at their neighbourhoods,shared sweets and sang songs to celebrate the festival. To welcome coming of Spring(time of Makar Sankranti),some took a holy dip in the rivers and streams on the festival.Also,in Punjab 'Baisaki' is also being celebrated as a harvest festival.Here, harvested wheat will be husked and dried, in the Sun. Farmers will then  store this wheat for use for the whole year.

Those farmers who were agitating for non-demolition of their dam were able to save it. They even worship the British engineer,Benny Quick,who had built the dam from which they get water; and they sing ballads and folk songs praising him.People are very grateful;his 117th birthday was being celebrated well by prayers and sharing of sweet rice near his dam by those who worship him. Indian culture incorporates all those who provide for the simple folks! Many people will be celebrating their 'Pongal' festival and worshipping the Sun; they are thankful for their harvests.They are thankful to their cows and bulls which help to power their plough;and they worship the cattle which help them in their livelihoods.

Until people come out of insecurity of poverty, the expressions of culture, the merits of festivals seem meaningless. The people should be alive and well to celebrate their culture. So it is up to the policy makers to bring progress to the people which will preserve their culture and traditions forever and ever.