Begin with the food and songs
Lohri is a Punjabi midwinter and harvest festival marked with songs, a fire and shared food. The New York calendar lists Wednesday, January 13, 2027; the New Delhi calendar lists Thursday, January 14. The next day is Maghi. Put the date and the kind of gathering on your invitation.
Children may sing at doors for treats earlier in the day. Dulla Bhatti, remembered in Lohri songs as a folk hero who rescued girls, belongs to that singing. Ask someone who knows the songs to lead them at the gathering. Set gajak, rewri, peanuts and popcorn where guests can help themselves. Some households include jaggery and sesame rice. Label sesame and peanuts on the dish cards.
Cook the supper before the doorbell
Sarson da saag is mustard greens and makki di roti is cornmeal flatbread. Plan one saag serving and two small rotis per guest. For 12, 20 or 30 guests, make 24, 40 or 60 rotis. An eight-roti recipe takes three, five or eight batches; the last gives 64 rotis. If four fit the griddle, cooking all 64 takes 16 sets. At five minutes a set, allow 80 minutes plus shaping and setup.
| Supper count | 12 guests | 20 guests | 30 guests |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saag servings | 12 | 20 | 30 |
| Small rotis, two each | 24 | 40 | 60 |
| Eight-roti recipe batches | 3 | 5 | 8 |
| Griddle sets for all batches, four per set | 6 | 10 | 16 |
| Sweet pieces, two each | 24 | 40 | 60 |
| Boxes if each holds 20 pieces | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Water for one 8 fl oz glass each | 96 fl oz | 160 fl oz | 240 fl oz |
For 30 guests, start cooking rotis by 3:45 PM so all 16 sets finish by 5:05. Wrap them and hold them safely until the 7:00 supper; the cook can then greet people at 5:30. Follow your recipe's method for reheating. If a saag recipe serves six, make two, four or five batches. Ask how many sweet pieces are in each box before ordering.
Give the fire a permitted place and a watcher
Check local fire rules before you light anything: there may be a permit requirement or a burn ban. An open bonfire needs 50 feet from anything that can burn, a campfire 25 feet and a contained fire pit at least 10 feet. Keep children and pets 3 feet back. On a windy or dry day, keep it unlit and serve the meal indoors. Keep a hose, bucket or sand ready. Use seasoned hardwood, never treated wood, plastic, gasoline or lighter fluid.
Ask the seller how long a bundle of seasoned wood burns in a contained pit. If the estimate is one hour per bundle and you want a two-hour fire, buy two bundles. Name one sober adult to watch the fire continuously until it is fully out. Name a replacement before that person leaves. The watcher stays outside when dinner starts; take them a plate. Embers can remain hot long after the flames disappear.
Welcome at half past five
Have the treats ready by 5:30 PM. If a fire is allowed and the weather holds, light it at 6:00 with the watcher in place. Some families offer sesame or jaggery to the fire; some pour milk and water around it to thank the sun. Agree on any offering with the people leading the celebration and keep wrappers away from the fire. Sing before supper, then invite guests inside at 7:00 while the watcher remains outside.
Keep a clear route from the yard to the kitchen and a place for coats indoors. For 20 or 30 guests, let people move between the yard and the supper room instead of packing every chair around one pit. Finish the guest gathering by 8:30 PM while the watcher remains until the fire is fully out. Keep hot food at 140 F or above while it waits, or refrigerate it for later reheating. Follow the fire department's ash disposal instructions.
First, check the local fire rules and choose the indoor supper plan if no fire is allowed.