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I have some doubts about the opinions expressed in this article. It contains unsupported statements.
Lohri is celebrated by all Punjabis. It so happens that Punjabis are settled in Northern part of India, but that does not make it a non-Punjabi festival. This is a Punjabi festival.
Origin of Lohri: It is true that children sing songs to Dulla Bhatti, which makse Dulla an important figure in Lohri. However, burning of the bonfire is more important to the festival because everyone gathers around it at night. Yet no one knows why we set a bonfire. I have not seen any research on this subject, except "best guess" opinions on the matter. What is clear is that people do not worship the bonfire, they celebrate in a gathering around the bonfire. There is no role for a pandit, or priest of any kind. No one offers any prayers or offerings to the bonfire. People casually throw peanut shells or til in the fire, but it is in itself not a auspicious act or one that is expected. Show me a bonfire in India, and I can show you people discarding stuff in it. It is understandable that January is a cold month in Punjab and people sit around the fire at night. It is a folk festival of all Punabis. I think we should add that probably the real origins of the bonfire are lost to history.
Time of Lohri: Lohri is a folk festival of Punjab, and not a religious festival. It is celebrated according to the Bikrami Calendar. Since this is not a hindu religious festival I would suggest changing the words "Hindu calendar" with "Bikrami calendar". Bikrami calendar is traditionally the Punjabi calendar.
Lohri celebrations: I have attended almost yearly Lohri celebrations, and never have I witnessed a prayer being performed to fire, and prasad distributed. It would be inaccurate to state that fire worship is a part of Lohri celebrations. Punjabis eat, drink and sing folk songs around the fire. There is no moderation of any kind. Atmosphere is celebratory and not pious or religious. If this is indeed done in your experience, then it is because someone chooses to do it because they have a gathering at the house, not because the bonfire is holy. People discard into the fire what they are eating including peanuts, chicken bones or meat. This would not be the way to treat Fire God.
Lohri celebrations in other parts of India: You have not established a link between Pongal, Bhogali Bihu, and Sankranti with Lohri. Festivals occuring around the same time in calendar cannot be lumped without some supporting facts. Lohri is about celebrating happy events that have occured at the host family's home in the last year. It is celebrated around bonfire. There is no established link with the other sited festivals. If Lohri was a harvest festival it would have been celebrated primarily by farming community. However it is celebrated by every one in Punjabi society. Vaisakhi is the Punjabi harvest festival. The statement "Though modes of celebrating Lohri in India are different, but the message conveyed by the festival, that of setting aside differences and rejoicing by celebrating the end of the harvest season and the chilly winter is the same everywhere" is incorrect. At Lohri, religious or caste differences are not set aside. Attendance is by invitation only. They are sent only to known aquaintances, and there are no general invitation to the whole village or congregation. I would suggest removing this statement as well. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.188.19.42 (talk) 02:40, 19 July 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Here is an article in support of my opinions by noted Indian writer Kushwant Singh [1]
