In Pakistan, a bid to revive Lohri – and keep in mind Dulla Bhatti, a forgotten people hero

Now, some activists in Pakistan try to honour the insurgent people hero by reviving Lohri, a competition celebrated in Punjab on the final night time of the coldest month ‘Poh’ within the Bikrami calendar.

“Vaisakhi and Lohri are cultural festivals of Punjab. Not celebrating these festivals means detaching from historical past. Lohri was misplaced in Pakistan after Mohammad Zia-Ul-Haq, former Pakistani chief of Military Employees, took over. He introduced many modifications in Pakistan which affected festivals like Lohri and Vaisakhi,” mentioned Ali Usman Bajwa, who has been organising Lohri capabilities on the PILAC campus below the banner of ‘Punjabi Sangat Pakistan’.

“The competition of Lohri in Pakistan was extra fashionable among the many Dalit inhabitants, particularly Valmikis. There’s a story that Dulla had come to Lahore along with his mom Ladhi. Right here, he shared his meal with a Dalit lady, who grew to become his sister. Valmikis used to take out a procession on Lohri. They might organise wrestling competitions, and if somebody from a poor background would defeat a rich Pehlwan (wrestler), they might name the winner ‘Dulla’. I’ve seen the Lohri celebrations in my childhood,” Pakistan-based lawyer-writer Nain Sukh reminisced. He’s the recipient of the celebrated Dhahan award for excellence in Punjabi literature.

Dulla was a insurgent throughout the rule of Mughal king Akbar, who received him executed. “Dulla might by no means match into the narrative of feudal lords. The British additionally glorified Akbar. The Indian Nationwide Congress and the Muslim League understand Akbar as a form and nice king. However he was the king who had imposed heavy taxes to assemble monuments and buildings. Akbar was not variety to individuals. Peasants in Punjab used to hate him. Abuses have been hurled at him in Punjabi folklore,” mentioned Nain Sukh.

In keeping with folklore, Dulla was born in Pindi Bhattian village, now in West Punjab, within the mid-Sixteenth century. Dulla’s father and uncles have been executed on the orders of Akbar and their our bodies have been hanged for public show. Dulla’s mom Ladhi stored it a secret from Dulla. Nonetheless, he learnt about his household historical past from outsiders and have become a insurgent.

One cause why Dulla remains to be fashionable among the many non-Muslim inhabitants is his act of kindness in direction of the daughters of a poor Brahmin household, Sundari and Mundari. He saved the sisters from a Mughal officer and helped in marrying each the sisters. That is the story behind the well-known tune ‘Sundar Mundariye Ho, Tera Kaun Vichara Ho, Dulla Bhatti Wala Ho’.

Lohri and Dulla Bhatti are a part of the varsity syllabus in Punjab however there is no such thing as a point out of each in class textbooks in Pakistan.

“The Dalit and Valmiki inhabitants which used to have a good time Dulla in Pakistan steadily transformed to Christianity after which their tradition modified, and their future generations additionally forgot Dulla in West Punjab,” mentioned Nain Sukh.

“Now, some individuals have began celebrating Lohri in the primary cities of West Punjab like Lahore, Kasur, Nankana Sahib, Faisalabad, and Gujrat. A notion had developed over the a long time after Partition that Vaisakhi was related to Sikhs and Lohri was related to Hindus,” mentioned Iqbal Qaiser, historian and author primarily based in Pakistan.

“Those that have a good time Lohri don’t ask about their faith, caste, sect, and so on. Such festivals will lead Pakistan in direction of peace and concord. The Pakistan authorities ought to promote such festivals like Lohri and icons like Dulla,” mentioned Bajwa.

On why Lohri ought to be celebrated in Pakistan, he mentioned, “Lohri is a secular and cultural competition. It celebrates Dulla. Lohri will encourage our generations to combat in opposition to oppression. It is usually a competition associated to a change in climate. Lohri connects us with the financial system of Punjab. It unites all Punjabis. It brings us again to Punjab earlier than the British. Lohri detoxifies society. We’re hopeful that day will come when Lohri can be celebrated in West Punjab as it’s celebrated in East Punjab.”