Jamshedpur: The Punjabi community of the city celebrated Lohri with fervour today. Lohri festival, which is celebrated with great pomp in north India is consider important for newly wed and the new born babies as it marks fertility. At night people gather around the bonfire and throw till puffed rice and popcorns into the flames of the bonfire. People make merry by dancing and singing traditional folk songs. City-based organisations organised several cultural events to mark the occasion.
Meanwhile, the tribal population in and around the city will celebrate Tusu, the harvest festival, with traditional fanfare and gaiety. Like previous years this year too TusuMahotsavwill be organised at Domuhani, Sonari(the meeting point of Subarnarekha and Kharkai).
Tribal groups carrying the idol of Goddess Tusu for immersion at Sonari were seen in large numbers. The mela turns out to be a jamboree of tribal artistes and performers not only from Jharkhand but also from neighbouring states like Orissa and Bengal.
While one side of the field a dozen-odd giant Tusu idols are lined up on the other hand the towering choudals adorn the other side of the field. Made out of hay and bamboo sticks, the choudal is an elongated structure like a temple with figures of tribal deities on it.
It may be mentioned that Makar Sankranti is celebrated in almost all parts of the country in myriad cultural forms with great devotion. It is that time of the year when the day and night are of equal duration. Days become longer from this point on so it is a time for celebration.
Meanwhile the people of the city also took ‘Tilkut’ (sweetened ’tila’), curd and ‘chura’ (beaten rice) as per custom. Makar Sankranti signifies departure of winter and commencement of the harvesting season.