Lohri at the Capital's Border

Celebrated each year in the month of January, Lohri is a crucial winter festival for the Punjabi community. Marking the end of the winter season and awaiting the arrival of spring, the festival is celebrated and considered auspicious by many in the northern part of the country. 

While many local folklore narrate the tales of the festival, its significance, origins and celebrations, it is celebrated with great pomp and show by the Punjabi farmer community.  

The festival holds great significance for the farmer community in northern India as is it the festival of harvest for them, marking the New Year for them. Lohri also marks the beginning of the harvest season. Farmers, who begin harvesting their crops post this day, pray for a bountiful harvest and also for eradication of food shortage. 

While the festival is traditionally celebrated at the comfort of home, with loved ones around, and in preparation of the harvest next day onwards, this year the celebrations for the farmer community look gravely different. Sitting in a protest to repeal the new farm laws, farmers from all across the country have braved the cold, tear gas shells and police brutality and remain undeterred in their spirit. 

Protesting for almost 50 days now, these farmers are all set to celebrate the festival today at the borders. As the food providers of the country sit in protest for the unjust farm laws to be repealed, here are some glimpses from Delhi&rsquos Singhu border