Lohri 2026, on January 13th, celebrates the end of winter with bonfires, songs, and traditional delicacies, honoring harvest and longer days. This vibrant festival in northern India, especially Punjab, signifies gratitude, hard work, and intergenerational togetherness, marking the Sun’s Capricorn entry and ushering in prosperity.

Lohri lights up the winter night like a warm hug from family and tradition, chasing away the chill with bonfires, songs, and shared love and delicacies. This vibrant festival pulses with joy in northern India, especially Punjab, where communities get together to celebrate harvest gathering and the longer days coming ahead.The festival is actually much more than just rituals and traditions that tag along the festivities; in essence, it’s like a deeply emotional remembrance of our roots, relentless hard work, and togetherness that binds generations.

Happy Lohri 2026

As 2026 Lohri is just around the corner, the air fills with dhol beats, laughter, and stories of folklore heroes. Families collectively sit in a circle around flames, offering grains and sesame as thanks to the Sun and Earth, marking winter’s end and spring’s arrival and promises to bring sunshine.The festival celebrates the bonds of the newlyweds and new parents who shine the brightest, showered with blessings for prosperity. From rural fields to city homes, Lohri weaves culture into modern lives, reminding us that gratitude helps in growth. Amid global work hustle, this pause revives spirit through simple feasts of rewri, phirni, and til gud. It’s a timeless call to connect, dance under stars, and embrace abundance with open hearts.

When is Lohri 2026

Lohri 2026 falls on Tuesday, January 13, the eve of Makar Sankranti on January 14 at 03:13 PM, as per Drik Panchang timings in New Delhi. Celebrated across Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, and beyond, it honours the winter solstice’s end, ushering in longer days and rabi crop harvests like wheat and sugarcane. Families light bonfires around evening, tossing sesame seeds, jaggery, and grains while singing folk tunes. It’s a Sikh and Hindu folk fest symbolic of light over darkness, fertility, and prosperity, especially joyous for new brides and babies.

Significance and legends associated with Lohri

Lohri embodies gratitude to Agni or Fire God and Surya the Sun God for abundance, marking the Sun’s Capricorn entry. Folklore includes Dulla Bhatti, a 16th-century hero who robbed the rich to free village girls, giving rise to Sundar mundriye songs.Spiritually, it signifies positivity triumphing hardship, with bonfires purifying souls. Farmers pray for fertile fields; it’s nature’s renewal bash. In 2026’s Tuesday timing, devotion promises warmth and happiness all year. This harvest festival helps to grow community unity, celebrated according to the ancient Bikrami calendar wisdom.

Happy Lohri 2026

Traditional step-by-step rituals for Lohri

Starting pre-dusk, people clean homes, wear yellow/orange outfits. Gather wood for a bonfire at around 6 PM in Punjab. Circle flames clockwise, offering til (sesame), gud (jaggery), peanuts, popcorn, and reciting prayers.Sing Sundar mundriye for Dulla Bhatti. Newlyweds circle the fire 7 times; elders bless kids. Feast on sarson da saag, makki di roti, rewri, gajak, phirni. Dance bhangra/giddha to dhol. End with blessings from elders. Avoid non-veg or leftover food. These rituals keep traditions alive vibrantly.

50 wishes, messages, and quotes to send on Lohri 2026

Heartfelt wishes for lohri 2026

Happy Lohri! May the bonfire’s warmth fill your life with endless joy and prosperity.Wishing you a Lohri blessed with sweet rewri and sweeter moments with loved ones.Lohri 2026: Let the fire burn away worries, igniting success in your path.Warm Lohri greetings! May this festival bring harvest of happiness to your home.Happy Lohri to the family – may Agni bless us with health and abundance.Celebrate Lohri with bhangra beats and bountiful blessings for 2026!Lohri ki shubhkamnayein! Sesame and jaggery sweeten your year ahead.May Dulla Bhatti’s spirit inspire courage and kindness this Lohri.Happy Lohri! Shorter nights, brighter days, and fulfilling dreams await.Lohri Mubarak! Gather around the fire, make memories that last.Wishing Lohri fills your heart with the glow of love and laughter.Blessed Lohri 2026 – may prosperity circle your life like the bonfire.Happy Lohri! Thankful for harvests, hopeful for what’s next.Lohri cheers: Sweet treats, folk songs, and family hugs galore.May Lohri’s flames kindle passion and peace in your soul.

Messages to share with friends and family on Lohri 2026

To my dear family, Happy Lohri—let’s light up the night together!Lohri 2026: Cherish bonds stronger than the winter chill.Warm wishes for Lohri—may our home echo with joy forever.Happy Lohri family! Sarson saag and saagheart love this season.Lohri blessings for kids, newlyweds—new beginnings shine bright.Gathering for Lohri: Where love warms more than any fire.Happy Lohri to parents—your light guides us always.Lohri Mubarak to siblings—dance, feast, create traditions.Family Lohri 2026: Harvest joy, sow endless memories.Wishing our clan a Lohri full of til gud sweetness.Happy Lohri! United around the bonfire, unbreakable always.Lohri greetings to grandparents—legends of our Lohri lore.May Lohri unite us in gratitude and glee.Family first this Lohri—blessings multiply shared.Happy Lohri 2026: Love’s harvest never ends.

Happy Lohri 2026

Inspirational quotes to share with friends and family on Lohri 2026

Lohri teaches gratitude turns scarcity to abundance.Bonfires burn winter away; hope lights eternal paths.In Lohri’s glow, find victory of light over dark.Harvest joyfully, for earth gives as we thank.Dulla Bhatti lives in acts of bold kindness.Lohri: Where fire purifies, sun renews.Shorter nights herald longer triumphs.Celebrate Lohri—dance like flames, free and fierce.Gratitude around bonfire: True prosperity’s seed.Lohri whispers: Resilience blooms in winter’s end.

Funny and short quotes to share with friends and family on Lohri 2026

Happy Lohri! More rewri, less worry!Lohri: Eat gajak, dance bhangra, repeat.Bonfire calories don’t count—Happy Lohri!Lohri 2026: Til gud fixes everything.Warning: Excessive bhangra may occur!Happy Lohri—winter’s out, party’s in!Lohri hack: Offer jaggery, get blessings free.Makki di roti + saag = Lohri goals.Sundar mundriye—sing it louder!Happy Lohri! Fire warm, heart warmer

Delicious Lohri recipes and modern twists

No Lohri skips sarson da saag (mustard greens curry) with makki di roti (cornbread), slow-cooked saag is a combination of greens, spices, and butter; roti’s rustic charm pairs perfectly. Til gud laddoo (sesame-jaggery balls) symbolise the stickiness of bonds. Gajak (peanut brittle), phirni (rice pudding), payesh (sweet porridge) , and sweet feasts. Pinni (wheat-jaggery sweets) adds to the winter vigour.

What are the Lohri traditional attire and rituals

Following the bonfire, bhangra and giddha dances come alive with energetic steps to the rhythm of dhol drums, celebrating vitality and joy. Women wear salwar kameez or ghagra choli in vibrant red and gold, while men don kurtas or tejas. Children imitate the moves, and elders share stories.

Protesters in Minnesota (AP photo)

Anger over the killing of a woman by a US immigration agent in Minneapolis spilled onto the streets across US on Saturday. The demonstrations came three days after an ICE agent shot and killed Renee Nicole Good, a US citizen, during an encounter in south Minneapolis. She was sitting in her car when she was shot. Videos of the incident, filmed from different angles, spread quickly online and triggered sharp and emotional reactions across the country.

Minnesota state leaders described the shooting as an unjustified use of lethal force against a civilian who was trying to leave the scene. The Trump administration offered a very different version, claiming Ms Good tried to run over the agent. Officials said the agent acted in self-defence.

How protest spread

On Saturday, protest groups under the banner “ICE out for good” organised rallies across the country, including in cities that have been key targets of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.In Minneapolis, the response was immediate and intense. Protesters marched through immigrant neighbourhoods despite freezing January temperatures, chanting against ICE. Police used tear gas near a federal building close to the airport. Governor Tim Walz condemned the shooting and placed National Guard troops on alert.The White House responded by sending more federal agents to the city. City officials said most protests were peaceful, though 29 people were arrested on Friday night after a smaller group vandalised property and refused to disperse.

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What began as local outrage soon turned into a national protest movement. Videos of the shooting circulated widely, while civil rights groups and activists issued calls for demonstrations across the country. The anger was further fuelled by the Portland shooting, which many protesters cited as part of a wider pattern involving federal immigration enforcement.By the weekend, protests had spread rapidly. In Portland, demonstrators gathered by the river, holding signs and chanting “Abolish ICE.” In New York, people stood outside ICE offices in the rain. In Los Angeles, a group of protesters gathered near Pershing Square.Similar scenes were reported in Houston, Austin, Boston, Washington DC, Seattle, Omaha, and several smaller towns.In Austin, Democratic lawmaker Greg Casar addressed protesters and called for the removal of Homeland Security secretary Kristi Noem, who has publicly defended the ICE agent involved.“We cannot wait here in despair. We cannot do nothing. We cannot fall into hopelessness. ” Casar told protestors.Minnesota lawmakers Ilhan Omar, Angie Craig and Kelly Morrison also accused ICE of blocking congressional oversight after they were asked to leave an immigration facility shortly after entering it.

PICHOR: Union Minister for Communications and Northeast Region Development and Guna MP Jyotiraditya Scindia on Saturday announced two new India Post services, Speed Post 24 and Speed Post 48, at Pichor in Shivpuri district, which will ensure delivery within 24 and 48 hours, respectively.This announcement, made through a local program, is being considered an important step towards the modernisation of postal services. Speaking on the occasion, Scindia said that Speed Post 24 and Speed Post 48 will set a new standard of punctual, reliable and fast delivery.“I am bringing two new products. One will be called Speed Post 24, which will deliver your Speed Post document to your home within 24 hours. The second is Speed Post 48.”, he said.In fact, the Central Minister inaugurated the renovated Pichhor sub-office at a cost of ₹2 lakh and laid the foundation stone and conducted ground-breaking ceremonies for the proposed new sub-office building at a cost of ₹1 crore 11 lakh. During this program, he made these big announcements.On December 29, 2025, Union Minister of Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia said that the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), through the National Centre for Communication Security (NCCS), has rolled out a set of transformative reforms to bolster indigenous manufacturing and testing capabilities.“These transformative reforms will strengthen telecom security, reduce compliance burdens, enable sustainable industry growth and reinforce PM @narendramodi ji’s vision of Make in India, Make for the World,” he said.”Key reforms include: 1. Extension of the Pro Tem Security Certification Scheme for OEMs for 2 years 2. Reduced fees for Telecom Security Testing Laboratories (TSTLs),” the Minister added.Minister Scindia said these reforms are aligned with the principle of DSS- ‘Design in India, Solve in India, Scale for the world*’.”These and deliver a crucial boost to ease of doing business for telecom equipment manufacturers with the 90 per cent reduction in compliance burden for women-led and MSME testing laboratories, while other testing labs will benefit from a 50 per cent reduction. Central and State Government testing agencies, Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), and other government institutions have been granted a complete waiver of testing fees,” the Minister said.

Budget to presented on February 1 (Image credit: IANS)

State leaders met with finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday for pre-budget discussions, where they reportedly asked for increased financial support for capital investments and compensation for GST revenue losses. The states also asked for more funding for urban and rural development, housing programs, and disaster management ahead of the upcoming FY27 budget presentation on February 1, according to officials cited by ET.During the meeting, Sitharaman emphasised the importance of state participation in achieving India’s goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047. She encouraged states to implement necessary reforms to support this vision.Kerala’s finance minister KN Balagopal mentioned his state’s concerns, claiming that the Centre has held back over Rs 17,000 crore this fiscal year. He requested an increase in the borrowing ceiling and addressed issues like GST-related revenue decline and railway development needs.Telangana presented infrastructure proposals, including the construction of 2.5 million houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and the establishment of an Indian Institute of Management. The state also demanded allocation for various transport sector schemes such as a regional ring road and the expansion of the Hyderabad Metro Rail.Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh pushed on regional development, asking for assistance for the Rayalaseema Horticulture Development Package as well as the Polavaram-Nallamala Sagar Link project.State leaders, including governors, chief ministers, deputy chief ministers, and finance ministers, attended the meeting among others. The union minster of state for finance, Pankaj Chaudhary, and members of the ministry also attended the meeting among others.Before this, Sitharaman has held meetings with different stakeholders such as economists, industrialists, farmers, and students of the Delhi School of Economics to get diverse inputs for the budget.

NEW DELHI: Union minister for finance and corporate affairs Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday chaired the meeting on Pre-Budget Consultation with States and Union Territories (with Legislature) for the forthcoming Union Budget 2026-27 in New Delhi.Along with Union Minister for State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary, the meeting was also attended by Governor of Manipur; Chief Ministers of Delhi, Goa, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Meghalaya, and Sikkim; Deputy Chief Ministers of Arunachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan and Telangana; the Finance Ministers of States/UTs, besides Secretaries of Departments of Economic Affairs, Expenditure, and Revenue, and senior officials of the Ministry of Finance.While speaking with the reporters after the meeting, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said, “We specifically demanded that the central schemes currently running for Goa be continued. As a tourism state, we have particularly requested assistance for the tourism sector. We also demanded funds for the health sector. Funds for the infrastructure development of Kushavati, which we have newly created as a district, were also discussed.” Goa Chief Minister further said, “We have also laid down special demands for the Renewable Energy sector, and for the Railway sector, we raised demands for the redevelopment of the Konkan Railways among others.” He highlighted that the 15th Finance Commission recommended Rs 700 crore in state-specific funds for the state. “We seek more funds in the 16th Finance Commission,” he said. Notably, the 15th Finance Commission recommended specific grants for Goa, including Rs 500 crore for climate change and Rs 200 crore for tourism, totalling Rs 700 crore in state-specific funds, while also providing grants for rural bodies and projecting GST compensation.Recently. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had chaired a pre-Budget meeting with leading economists.At the meeting, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Suman Bery and other eminent economists were present. Discussions focused on key priorities and inputs for the upcoming Union Budget.Earlier, Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman held 10 rounds of Pre-Budget Consultations as part of the preparations for the forthcoming Union Budget 2026-27.The meetings brought together representatives and experts from key sectors of the economy, including agriculture and MSMEs, capital markets, manufacturing, services, and technology.The series began with consultations with leading economists, followed by representatives from farmer associations and agricultural economists. Subsequent sessions engaged stakeholders from MSMEs, capital markets, startups, manufacturing, BFSI (Banking, Financial Services and Insurance), information technology, tourism and hospitality, and finally trade unions and labour organisations.During these meetings, sector experts and stakeholders presented their recommendations, challenges, and expectations for the upcoming Budget. The discussions focused on economic growth, employment generation, investment climate, technological advancement, industrial competitiveness, financial sector stability, labour welfare, and sustainable development.The Union Budget is typically presented on February 1 of each year. This year too, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is likely to present the Union Budget for 2026-27 in Parliament on February 1.

NEW DELHI: Vrinda was only 16 when her father was shot dead. To keep the family afloat, her mother, Rachna Yadav, opened a small shop selling salwar suits. Now, Vrinda and her elder sister have lost her to bullets too.Rachna (52) was the president of her block’s residents welfare association and also worked with a party. The family said she was also planning to revive a YouTube-based news portal that was shut after her husband’s death. “My mother promised that once I finished my degree, we would turn our shop into an office for the news portal and I would become its anchor,” said Vrinda, a journalism student at IP University. Recalling their last conversation, Rachna’s elder daughter, 32-year-old Kanika, said, “Just the night before she was killed, she said she wanted to see my daughter. I was planning to come this week,” she said. Having lost both parents to violence, the sisters said they feared for their own safety.

Siblings Fear For Safety, Rachna Yadav Was RWA President

Since 2023, Rachna had run the garment shop from a small space near her house, which also doubled as her RWA office. A whiteboard outside listed her open-door policy for residents and her fixed hours – 11am to 2pm and again from 5pm to 6.30pm – during which she addressed local grievances. In between, she continued selling clothes to support her family.On Saturday, the park outside her house was filled with mourners. Many women from the neighbourhood sat quietly on benches, offering condolences. A resident said Rachna had encouraged women to raise local issues and stand up for themselves. “A few years ago, when there was a fire in the nearby shanties, she played a key role in helping residents,” she said.On May 22, 2023, Rachna’s husband, property dealer Bijender Yadav, was shot in Bhalswa village of Jahangirpuri. Bijender, a declared criminal with nine cases, including murder, was killed following a long-standing rivalry that was brewing for nearly 18 months. The crime branch had arrested Sanju Yadav and his associate Sandeep Panwar. The conflict was triggered by a parking dispute between Sanju and Bijender’s brother, Rahul Yadav, which escalated after Rahul posted offensive comments and threats on Facebook. Fearing that Bijender was plotting to kill them, Sanju and Sandeep conspired to strike first. The rivalry, police said, was further escalated during the 2022 MCD election when Sanju’s brother became a councillor while Bijender’s brother lost it and allegedly tried to threaten Sanju’s group.The family claimed Bijender was acquitted in many of the criminal cases.

Remains of ancient settlement off the Dwarka coast in the Arabian Sea

AHMEDABAD: Dwarka, the ancient Gujarat coastal town closely associated with the legend of Lord Krishna and home to the revered Dwarkadhish Temple, is set to witness renewed rounds of archaeological excavations, both on land and underwater, senior officials of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) have said. The proposed work aims to explore previously unexamined areas using modern technology to gain a deeper understanding of the region’s historical and cultural past, reports Parth Shastri. Underwater archaeological excavations at Dwarka were last carried out between 2005 and 2007, while limited exploratory studies were conducted again in 2025.Upcoming Dwarka exploration phase to be more extensive: ASIAccording to ASI officials, the upcoming phase will be more extensive and systematic. Alok Tripathi, additional director-general of ASI, told TOI that new areas at Beyt Dwarka and unexplored underwater zones will be covered by the agency’s Underwater Archaeology Wing (UAW). “Dwarka has been under study for nearly 40 years, but the work so far has been limited in scope and objectives. We are now examining the other side of the mouth of the Gomti river,” Tripathi said. Experts said modern tools and technology would be deployed to enable larger and deeper excavations in the Arabian Sea. Tripathi himself was part of the five-member UAW team that conducted underwater exploratory work at Dwarka in Feb last year. During that time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also dived underwater off Dwarka coast to view submerged remains discovered on the seabed, drawing national attention to the site. On land, the focus will be on relatively undisturbed areas of Beyt Dwarka. Earlier excavations were largely concentrated near the cliff area. “We are now going deeper inside the forest area, where we have observed signs of a significant settlement. The site has some remarkable features, and excavations at lower levels could reveal important details about settlement planning, economic activities, arts and crafts, and the way of life of the inhabitants,” Tripathi said. The site has attracted attention alike due to the legend of the sunken city of Dwarka, believed to be founded by Lord Krishna. The ASI website indicates that explorations were carried out to understand the submerged archaeological remains off the coast of Dwarka as sculptures and stone anchors were found during low tide in coastal areas. The excavations so far have yielded many antiquities, including terracotta objects, beads, fragmented bangles, copper rings, iron ingots and pottery among others, according to the ASI website. Apart from Dwarka, the ASI has also initiated excavations at other key sites in Gujarat. Work has begun at Valabhipur, the ancient capital located in Bhavnagar district, and at Lothal, the Harappan-era site renowned for its water structure believed to be among the world’s oldest dockyards. With the upcoming National Maritime Heritage Complex near Lothal, archaeologists are exposing a larger area of the site using advanced tools and techniques. Tripathi emphasised that archaeology goes beyond excavation. “Our task is to place findings in perspective and fill gaps in historical understanding,” he said, adding that India’s use of technology in archaeology is on par with global standards and increasingly relies on interdisciplinary approaches. Gujarat has seen significant archaeological activity over the past decade, including extensive ASI-led excavations at Vadnagar in Mehsana district, PM Modi’s hometown, uncovering evidence of continuous habitation over two millennia. The state is also home to major Harappan sites such as Dholavira, now a Unesco World Heritage Site, and Lothal, highlighting Gujarat’s rich and layered archaeological heritage.