India is a vibrant melting pot of cultures and traditions, with each state celebrating its own unique festivals. At HomeLane, we’re saluting our diversity with this month-by-month article series that showcases how we can align our home décor with the festive flavour of each month. January is the month of festivals, let us have a look festivals in India from HomeLane Perspective.
January: The Month Of New Beginnings
Lohri – 13th January
The long winter nights are drawing to a close, and it’s time to celebrate! The Punjabi festival of Lohri falls on the 13th of January every year and signifies the end of the cold winter season and the onset of the harvest. Farmers in Punjab consider the day after Lohri, also called Maghi, to be the Financial New Year. Lohri is celebrated with great enthusiasm, as is the custom among the boisterous, fun-loving and warm Punjabi community. Men and women dance around a community bonfire to the beat of the Dhol drums and celebrate by eating gur rewri, gajak, peanuts and popcorn. These traditional foods are also thrown into the fire, in the belief that Agni, the God of Fire, will bring happiness and prosperity to all. Kite flying is another important tradition, and there are many kite-flying competitions held at this time.
Makar Sankranthi – 14th /15th January
Makar Sankranthi is a Harvest festival celebrated in the southern states of Andhra Pradesh, Telengana and Karnataka. Marking the end of the winter solstice, this festival is in many ways similar to Lohri; as it is also celebrated with bonfires, feasts and the flying of colourful kites. This festival is dedicated to the Sun God Surya. A shared cultural practice with Lohri is the exchange of peanut, sesame and Jaggery sweets, considered to wash away all past feelings of ill-will and make way for fresh new beginnings.
How Are Homes Decorated During These Harvest Festivals?
Lohri and Sankranthi signify a burst of warmth and happiness, heralding the advent of warmer days, and decorations for this festival are also aligned to this theme. Traditionally, families decorate their homes with flowers and drape the windows with colourful sarees and dupattas. Kite flying is also a popular Lohri, and Sankranthi tradition and families try to outdo each other by flying the most unusual and creative handmade kites. Decorations around the theme of kites and colourful pinwheels are also very common.
Here are our suggestions to ramp up your home décor quotient during this fun-filled festival!
Hand-painted Terracotta Pots
- Paint a terracotta pot and use it as a planter around the house or on the balcony.
- Ghungroo Strings
Women dance around the fire with ghungroos on their feet; you can string up several pairs to catch the wind and get them tinkling in the wind!
Decorate With Lights
No festival is complete without festive lighting! Decorate with lamps around the rims of old cycle wheels or fairy light strings inside colored glass bottles.
- Tubs Of Flowers
- Flowers Decoration Ideas for Makar Sankranthi: Use arrangements of dry flowers, seeds and twigs with hay – a symbol of this festival – in and around the house, to spruce up corners and as table arrangements.
- Popcorn Strings
- Peanuts and popcorn are associated with Lohri. String up some popcorn with colourful beads, and use them to decorate the trees and plants around your home.
- Colourful Kites For Makar Sankranti
- Lohri and Sankranthi are both associated with the flying of kites. Use your creativity to create miniature kites, and decorate your home with strings of kites!
- Origami Birds
Use the leftover coloured paper from your kite making ventures to create these lovely origami birds, and hang them up on strings to catch the breeze!
Colourful Umbrella Decoration Ideas
If you’re staying in an apartment, you could decorate the street leading to the building with multi-coloured umbrellas for a joyous burst of colour! 
Decorate A Tractor
Planning a large celebration? Decorate a tractor with fairy lights and use it as a centre stage attraction!
Innovate With Bangles And Necklaces
Colourful bangles and bead necklaces need not just be used as jewellery, why not adorn your home with festoons of ribbons, baubles and bangles! 
Toran With Balloons
An arch with red and yellow balloons, symbolising the bonfire, could be put up around the entrance to your building.
Flower Rangolis
Floral decorations add an extra charm to the rangoli, especially when it is made of marigold and banana leaf. Making Rangoli plays a large part in ushering in the festive atmosphere! 
Paper Quill Décor
Paper quilling is a great way to add colour to your walls. Brighten up a dark corner with this gorgeous craftwork – use butterflies, flowers and other themes that herald the arrival of spring!
Experiment With Lamps
To add sparkle to your homes, try your hand at making some DIY lamps. Lamps can be crafted using old glass bottles, egg cartons, doilies, seashell arrangements, mason jars with the fairy lights …the sky is the limit to your creativity!
- Serve Traditional Meals
- Traditional meals served with love are a big part of the festivities. In South India, meals are served on a banana leaf during festivals. Deck up your table décor with pretty lamps and ethnic table mats, and enjoy the feast with family and friends.
- From the HomeLane team to your home, we wish you joyous festive times with the warmth of family and friends, near and far!
