In the land of lovely meadows and warm-hearted people, culture of Punjab is known for its diversity. The state that enjoys the beauty of five babbling rivers welcomes travelers to enjoy its allure. Festivals are a splendid opportunity to get a sense of what this lovely state is all about. A festival is a symbolic event in which people display their aims, ideals, and true selves. Punjab’s liveliness is evident through the vibrant festivals it celebrates. Here are some of the top festivals of Punjab to attend:
1. Lohri
Lohri is a Punjabi festival that celebrates the end of a severely cold winter by welcoming in longer and warmer days. It’s also a community event, with a large number of families gathered around a single bonfire, which symbolizes fertility and generates warmth among community members. People chant songs and throw popcorn, peanuts, and other fertility symbols into the fire while they move in circles around the bonfire. For dinner, traditional Punjabi cuisine and local delicacies are prepared and presented. It’s also a community event, with a large number of families gathered around a single bonfire.
2. Basant Panchami
Basant Panchami is a colorful festival that commemorates the arrival of spring. The fields of Punjab are flooded with a golden sea of mustard flowers, providing the perfect backdrop for Basant Panchami. The state of Punjab is awash in mustard yellow, a color associated with the blooming of mustard flowers. Kites are also flown to commemorate the festival, and the sky is awash in vibrant and liberating kites.
3. Hola Mohalla
Hola Mohalla is a three-day event in Punjab that takes place after Holi, the festival of colors. This event is conducted in Anandpur Sahib and is a custom started by Guru Gobind Singh in the 1700s. The Nihang Sikhs put on demonstrations of bravery and military prowess incorporating traditional battle techniques and animals as part of the celebrations. Thousands of Sikhs attend this festival, which is a significant cultural event for them. Many remarkable accomplishments, like sword fencing, archery, and horseback riding, are displayed throughout the event. The ceremony ultimately results in a procession in which the panj pyaras wear traditional blue and saffron attire.
4. Baisakhi
Baisakhi is a traditional harvest celebration in Punjab. Guru Teg Bahadur’s demise is commemorated on this day. The occasion is also used to commemorate the harvest of the winter crop, rabi. Throughout Punjab, many fairs and processions are held, encouraging everyone to join in the festivities. The entire state is illuminated in honor of Baisakhi, causing everyone to be ecstatic.
5. Gurpurab
The Sikh community’s most important festival, the different Gurupurabs, are a matter of holiness, spirituality, and jubilation for the Sikhs. They commemorate the anniversaries of the Sikh Gurus’ births or martyrdoms. A religious procession, in which sacred songs are chanted, begins and ends the festival. The Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikhs’ holy scripture, is read aloud during the celebration. People go to gurdwaras to seek blessings, pray, and eat langar, which is sweet and holy.
6. Teeyan
Teeyan, or Punjabi Teej, is a women’s traditional celebration that marks the start of the monsoon season. Teeyan runs for thirteen days, beginning on the third day of Saawan Maas and ending on Saawan Purnima. Every married woman was required to spend the whole Sawan month at her parental home. Teeyan has traditionally been linked with monsoon swings and giddha. Girls and women would bind swings to trees and perform Giddha, a traditional dancing form. Teeyan has gradually devolved into ladies fasting on the Saawan full moon day and later enjoying a well-prepared meal.
7. Bhai Dooj
Bhai Dooj is a religious holiday held on the second day of Shukla Paksha in Kartik maas, with several regional names such as Bhau beej, Bhai Tika, and so on. This festival’s customs are similar to those of Raksha Bandhan. The festival takes place all over North India, including Punjab. Bhai Dooj is all about delicious sweets and family time, and it celebrates the brother-sister bond. The sister conducts aarti and tika on her boys’ foreheads as part of their ritual. The sister then ties the kalawa around her brother’s wrist, recalling their previous promises to keep her safe. As part of the celebration, special desserts and meals are provided. Another bead in the thread of festivals is Bhai Dooj, which happens on the second day after Diwali.
8. Chappar Mela
The Chappar Mela is an annual fair held in the Punjabi village of Chappar, in the district of Ludhiana. This mela celebrates the arrival of the famed Gugga Pir or ‘Snake God,’ a local folk figure. Chappar mela has been an annual event for the inhabitants of the Malwa belt for over 150 years, taking place on the fourth day of Bhadas maas (September). Chappar mela, which began as a tiny gathering, has grown to draw millions of individuals who believe in Gugga Pir.
9. Jor Mela
The Shaheedi Sabha, also known as the Shaheedi Jor Mela, is a three-day religious gathering (congregation). Every year in December, it is held at Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib in Punjab’s Fatehgarh Sahib area. Sikhs gather to commemorate the martyrdom of Sahibzaade Baba Zorawar Singh and Baba Fateh Singh, the youngest sons of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the tenth guru of the Sikh religion. Both of these intrepid souls, as well as Guru Gobind Singh’s mother, Mata Gujri, were imprisoned and compelled to convert to Islam, which they abhorrently refused. This prompted Wazir Khan, the governor of Zirhind, to bury them alive. They gave their life and
