Lohri: A prayer to Agni

Lohri is essentially a festival dedicated to fire (agni) which according to our ancient scriptures is believed to be closely associated with Lord Indra. Agni loves all his worshipers equally, and so is loved in turn by all of them. He visits everyone’s hearth, no matter if they are rich or poor. Agni is the mediator between the gods and mankind. The focus of Lohri is on the bonfire. The offering of til, gajak, gur, moongphali, popcorn is considered to be prayer to Lord Indra. It is believed that when one offers these things to fire; one must make a wish and it gets fulfilled. The evening progresses with traditional songs and poems of Lohri with the dances of Bhangra and Gidda. The festival is a final feast to bid good-bye to the cold-winter, a festivity, welcoming the arrival of spring.

Newlyweds, lovers and men desirous to increase their virility are suggested to worship Agni. The Sun signs — Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius are considered to possess fire elements as such their ruling planets, Mars, Sun and Jupiter respectively have the same tendencies. The native with these Sun signs or planet in their ascendant can attain divine energy by offering prayer to bonfire on Lohri.

Astrologically, Lohri is considered as the most sacred day for mitigating the ill influence of planets i. e. fire elements. Lohri marks the entry of Sun in Capricorn (Makar Rashi) on January 14 and it continues till July 14. The process is known as Uttarayan. It is also a month of Maarqazi. The Bhagwat Gita refers this day as “most auspicious and sacred” when Lord Krishna manifests himself most tangibly.

ASTRO-ADVICE

• Couples desirous of Santan Sukh can be blessed with a child by undertaking the Parikrama around the fire for 41 times. They should recite the mantra,  Aum Devkisut Govind Vasudev, Jagtpate Dehi Me Tanye, Karishnna Tavmahe Shranagatam, every time after completion of Parikarma.
• Manglik Dosha is considered obstacle in marriage. It also brings misery and misunderstanding in domestic life. It can be rectified if the native performs 21 pheras around the bonfire and recite the following mantra each time: Aum Ang Angarkaye Nameh.

Irrespective of any dosha in the horoscope Parikrama around the bonfire on Lohri is considered auspicious for longevity and conjugal bliss. It is a great occasion to rectify even Vaastu doshas in house as the festival provides the opportunity to interact with family and friends, under the sky. Sky (Akaash) is most important element including Earth, water, fire and air. The celebration definitely brings the positive influence of Akaash element in the house, which symbolises prosperity and growth.

Lohri falls annually on January 13. It marks the culmination of winter. Its celebration is a symbol of fertility and spark of life. Our tradition offers three things:

• First Lohri for a newly wedded couple.
• First Lohri for a newly born either baby boy or girl.
• Children go from door to door to collect funds for community bonfire, which are lit up in the evening.

(The columnist is author of 32 books on Astrology, Numerology, Vaastu, Mantrism, Dreams and Moles. He features regularly on various TV channels. You can email your queries at: pkhurrana@astroindia.com)