Mahie celebrates Lohri today

Battling a cold and running between film shoots, Mahie Gill has no time to take a break and head back home to Chandigarh for Lohri. "Lohri is actually celebrated as the start of a new year and a time to harvest the golden crops," explains Mahie. The Dev D actress plans to celebrate the day in Mumbai with a few close friends, but gets nostalgic.

Homely affair
Lohri reminds me of home, school, friends and winter. Since I'm in Mumbai this year, it's a walk down memory lane. I'm so going to miss all the festivities back homeu00a0-- huge gatherings, fetes and dance competitions. On the day of Lohri, the morning starts with children collecting Lohri loot from door to dooru00a0-- money and sweets.

When I was a kid, this was a high point of the day. Now when I'm at home for Lohri, I happily indulge the kids who come to our house to collect the loot. Then the afternoon lunch is a vast spread of makki di roti (corn), saag and dal. I'll miss all the ghar ka khana this time round.

Dress up to kill
The real fun starts at sunset. Though it is very cold and foggy in the north, women come out of their homes all decked up in their finest jewellery and salwar kameez with a phulkari and baug (heavily embroidered dupatta) to keep away the cold.

Men wear kurta with chadra (lungi) and, in the villages, you'll find a kalki (turban) on their heads. We light a bonfire and throw puffed rice, peanuts, gajak, rewri, popcorn and other munchies into the fire shouting, "Aadar aye dilather jaye", which means let the poor become rich and others become more prosperous.
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Fun and games
Once the praying is done, the dhols start and the dancing begins. All my family and friends get together for the evening. Women perform giddha (the traditional Punjabi dance form), while the men dance to bhangra beats.

I too participate in all the songs and dance. Usually it's the older aunties and uncles who know all the festive songs and dances. So I just follow them, laugh at and with them. The aim is to just have fun, so I don't hold back. Nowadays, there are DJs to jazz up the festival!

City celebrations
In Mumbai, Lohri is more of an occasion to get together with friends. Today is my friend Richa's daughter, Norah's first Lohri. All of us are quite excited and we plan to make it special for the baby. Besides song and dance, we'll be exchanging sweets.

Who: Mahie Gill
What: Talks about the festival of Lohri
Where: In her locality