Girls adorned in the ethnical phulkari suits, boys in punjabi juti, stalls displayed by the students, kites flying in the blue sky, blazing bonfire kept in the centre and dancing feet everywhere- that is how PCTE Group of Institutes’ campus gardens looked today. All the students immersed themselves in the festive spirit of Lohri. The students danced around the holy bonfire and offered their prayers for prosperity. The students and teachers sang rich cultural Punjab folk songs. The students enjoyed the day by flying kites and had dance performances.
Chikonde Steven, an international student from “Zambia” said, “It’s amazing to see how students got into the festive spirit and organized the whole celebration. India is a land of diverse culture, and I feel lucky that I could experience it here at PCTE.” Another student from Nagah from Libya said that it is her second year in PCTE and said that is has been a beautiful experience exploring Punjabi culture.
Lohri is a festival of Punjab, celebrated to mark the end of peak winters and therefore accompained with Gachak, Peanuts, Jaggery etc. Thus, people residing in Punjab attach a great significance to Lohri, the festival of feasts and foods. This harvest festival is celebrated to mark makar Sankaranti, bonfire and dance. Lohri festival prompts people to be thankful for God’s provisions and to celebrate his creations.
Ms. Richa Arora, faculty in charge of the event said, “It was a great day to be on campus because everyone enjoyed themselves thoroughly. She added that the most exciting fact was that the students organized the event themselves.”
Dr. KNS Kang, Director General, PCTE congratulated all and dwelled on the importance of this festival. He also added that the whole function was a scintillating bonanza of modern and traditional culture and heritage, and was glad that the students took initiative to celebrate.
