Sikh bonfire festival in Livingston marks end of winter

A huge bonfire burned high in front of the two Sikh temples in Livingston this week, marking the end of winter and the start of the new season.

The festival Tuesday night began with a prayer followed by food and drinks, according to Livingston Mayor Pro Tem Gurpal Samra. About 1,000 people turned out to celebrate what is traditionally viewed as the start of the new year.

“We call it a new year because it falls on the shortest day of the year,” Samra said. “We had a lot of people and it was a very successful event, even though it fell in the middle of the week this year.”

The traditional festival has taken place in Livingston since the 1970s, Samra said. Prior to that, members of the Sikh community would travel to Stockton to celebrate the event.

The traditional event, which began in Punjab, is also called the Lohri festival. People normally celebrate it in mid-January. Huge bonfires are lit when the sun sets, and attendees will gather around the fire and sing popular folk songs.

A lot of people throw seeds, puffed rice and peanuts into the fire to show gratitude for a successful crop season. It can also be to give thanks for personal accomplishments, such as getting married or having a child.

“People do it for different things; it doesn’t have to be anything in particular,” Samra said. “Last night, I did it to thank God for making last year very successful, sending my kids off to college and for the health of our family. There are a lot of things you can be grateful for.”

The festival ended around 9:30 p.m., Samra said. The Sikh community makes up 17 percent of Livingston’s population.

This story was originally published January 14, 2015 at 6:48 PM with the headline "Sikh bonfire festival in Livingston marks end of winter."