Lohri –Makar Sankranti

Celebrated on 13th January, Lohri brings the community together for an evening spent dancing to folk songs around bonfires in many parts of Himachal. The Pragpur village in Kangra district holds the Lohri fair for the occasion. On 14th January, Makar Sankranti marks the ending of long cold nights by holding celebrations with an early morning bath followed by religious prayers. An aromatic ‘Khichadi ‘ (Black Gram and Rice cooked together ) served with ‘Ghee’ & Curd, is the special dish for the occasion.Pragpur is government notified 'heritage village' and is perfectly in tune with the traditional rural charm of Kangra. The houses are mostly of sun-baked bricks or rammed earth, or of dressed-stone walls with deep grey-blue slate roofs. The village water-tank is almost like the focal point for every activity. And from its stone walls, fan the narrow cobbled streets to the rest of the village.  Today, the ambience and culture of Pragpur is relaxed and almost determinedly rural. Its citizens are very conscious of their legacy. A climate where the heat of the summer sun is tempered with cool breezes flowing down from the mountains - and a winter sans snow - has made a delightful place. It is 65 km from Dharamshala.