Sunder Munderiye Ho!

Lohri is an extremely popular harvest festival in India, especially North India. Come January, and the fields of Punjab are filled with the golden harvest of wheat and farmers celebrate Lohri during this rest period before the harvesting and gathering of crops. Lohri is usually celebrated in the outdoors by friends and family who get together and have a bonfire in the evening. It may be considered the Indian equivalent of Thanksgiving.

Lohri marks the end of winter on the last day of Paush, and beginning of Magha (around January 12 and 13), when the sun changes its course. It is associated with the worship of the sun and fire and is observed by all communities with different names, as Lohri is an exclusively Punjabi festival. The questions like When it began and why is lost in the mists of antiquity.

The origin of Lohri is related to the central character of most Lohri songs is Dulla Bhatti, a Muslim highway robber who lived in Punjab during the reign of Emperor Akbar. Besides robbing the rich, he rescued Hindu girls being forcibly taken to be sold in slave market of the Middle East. He arranged their marriages to Hindu boys with Hindu rituals and provided them with dowries. Understandably, though a bandit, he became a hero of all Punjabis. So every other Lohri song has words to express gratitude to Dulla Bhatti.

During the day, children go from door to door singing folk songs in praise of Dulha Bhatti. These children are given sweets and savories, and occasionally, money. These collections are known as Lohri, and they are distributed at night during the festival. Some may be offered to the sacred fire. Peanuts, popcorn and other food items are also thrown into the fire as an offering to the God of Fire, Agni.

The Lohri Song : Sunder Munderiye Ho!

“The 'ho's are in chorus"

Sunder mundriye ho!
Tera kaun vicaharaa ho!

Sunder mundriye ho(Sunder and munder are the name of girls here)
Who will think about you

Dullah bhatti walla ho!
Dullhe di dhee vyayae ho!
Ser shakkar payee ho!

He is dulla bhatti( a dacoit like robinhood who use to loot the riches and help the poor)
Dulla's daughter got married
(Dulla bhatti help them married with their grooms by considering them his daughters)
He gave 1 kg sugar!


Kudi da laal pathaka ho!

The girl is wearing a red suit!

Kudi da saalu paatta ho!

Salu kaun samete!

But her shawl is torn!
Who will stitch her shawl?!

Chache choori kutti! zamidara lutti!
Zamindaar sudhaye!

The uncle made choori!
The landlords looted it!
Landlords are beaten up then!

bade bhole aaye!
Ek bhola reh gaya!
Sipahee far ke lai gaya!
Sipahee ne mari eet!


Lots of innocent guys came to save
One innocent boy got left behind
The police arrested him!




Sanoo de de lohri te teri jeeve jodi!
Bhaanvey ro te bhaanvey pit!

Give us lohri ..long live your couple!
Whether you cry, or bang your head later!

HAPPY LOHRI !