Lohri 2027 in Mumbai: Where to Light the Bonfire and How to Keep It Safe

Lohri 2027 falls on Wednesday 13 January, the evening before Makar Sankranti. Sankranti itself is listed on Thursday 14 January in many calendars and on Friday 15 January in some panchangs, so check a calendar such as Kalnirnay for the day your family follows.

Lohri is the Punjabi festival of the winter harvest and of the last long, cold nights of the season. Families gather around a fire after sunset, offer sesame, jaggery and popcorn to the flames, sing, dance and share food. A baby's first Lohri, or a newly married couple's first, is celebrated with special warmth.

In Mumbai, Lohri is usually marked in a housing society compound, on a terrace, at a gurdwara or community ground, or quietly at home. This article gives no muhurat; if your family keeps a particular time, your elders or the panchang will guide you.

The Lohri bonfire suits the South-East of an open compound or garden, because Vastu places fire in the South-East. This zone is called आग्नेय कोण (Agneya Kon, the corner of Agni), and it is presided over by अग्नि (Agni, the fire deity). Our guide to Agneya, the fire zone in the South-East explains why kitchens, lamps and electrical equipment sit there too.

Two zones are better left without a fire. The North-East, ईशान्य (Ishanya), is the zone of water and prayer, kept light and calm. The centre of a plot or compound, the ब्रह्मस्थान (Brahmasthan), is traditionally kept open and free.

Safety always comes before direction. If the South-East of your compound is the car park, sits under a tree or is near the meter room, choose the open spot that is farthest from buildings, vehicles and wires. A safe fire in a less ideal corner is far better than a risky one in the South-East.

A bonfire can be lit in a society compound only if the managing committee allows it and it fits within the society's rules and local restrictions on open burning. These rules differ from building to building and can change, especially in winter when Mumbai's air quality is often poor, so ask before you plan rather than assuming.

Our article on Mumbai winter air quality explains why smoke lingers in the city in December and January. On days when the air is visibly hazy, a smaller fire or the diya alternative below is the considerate choice for neighbours, children and elders.

You keep a Lohri bonfire safe by keeping it small, contained, supervised and well away from anything that can catch fire. Fire safety comes first, before any custom or direction.

In a flat, Lohri can be celebrated around a group of diyas in the South-East of the living room or kitchen instead of an open fire. Place five, seven or more diyas on a large brass or steel plate, set the bowl of offerings beside it, and gather the family around it for songs and sharing. Our guide to diya and lamp direction covers safe placement.

Keep the plate on a stable, low surface, away from curtains, paper decorations and the path where people walk. Many families do a slow परिक्रमा (parikrama, circling) around the diyas in place of the bonfire and offer a pinch of til and gur to the flames.

A small sigri or angithi is sometimes used instead. Light one only in a fully open garden or terrace. Never burn charcoal or wood indoors, in a closed balcony or in any enclosed space, because the fumes, including carbon monoxide, can be dangerous and are not easy to notice.

Til (sesame), gur (jaggery), rewri, gajak, peanuts and popcorn are the usual offerings to the Lohri fire. Family members walk around the fire and toss small handfuls into it while the songs go on, and the rest is shared as prasad.

Some families add sugarcane pieces, puffed rice or roasted makhana, and customs vary from family to family. Offer small handfuls rather than large amounts, and do not pour oil or ghee onto the flames from a container. The warmth of the gathering matters more than the quantity offered.

Lohri marks the end of the deepest winter nights, and Makar Sankranti the next day welcomes the Sun's movement into Capricorn, so the two fit naturally together. In Vastu terms, Lohri honours fire in the South-East and Sankranti welcomes the morning light in the East.

Before Lohri, tidy the South-East of your home: clean the stove, replace any flickering bulb and clear the corner of old cartons. The next morning, open the East windows and let the light in, as described in Makar Sankranti and Vastu.

Consult a Vastu expert when you are unsure where fire, water and heavy storage belong in your home, for example when the South-East of your flat has a toilet or a water tank, or when a bungalow garden has no obvious open corner for gatherings.

Dr. Kimaya Parikh-Ambekar of VastuKimaya, based in Andheri East, Mumbai, offers on-site consultations across Mumbai and distant consultations from floor plans and photographs for homes, flats and bungalows. Remedies are non-structural and explained in a written report. You can book an appointment at a time that suits you.