Lohri candles: lights for the gate, the steps and the rewri table on Lohri nightLohri candles: lights for the gate, the steps and the rewri table on Lohri night

Candles for Lohri night, and what they are for

Lohri is a fire festival. The centre of the evening is the bonfire, with til, rewri, gajak, peanuts and popcorn thrown into it, songs, dhol and giddha. Candles are not part of that ritual and nobody needs one to celebrate Lohri properly. What candles do well is the rest of the evening: the gate where guests come in, the steps up to the terrace, the table where the rewri and gajak are laid out, and the drawing room once everyone comes in from the cold.

Raajkosh is a Jalandhar brand, so this is a festival we know at home. For Lohri on Wednesday 13 January 2027, these three are the ones we would set out:

• Diya Candles, Rs 449 for a pack of 6: soy wax in terracotta-red diyas with a carved lattice rim. A row of six lines a gate or a short flight of steps.
• Sunflower Tealights, Rs 449 for a pack of 10: ivory tealights in clear cups, each topped with a yellow sunflower. The yellow sits well with sarson season and a mustard-yellow dupatta on the table.
• Matki Candles, Rs 599 for a pack of 4: little red matki pots, hand-painted with a green and yellow vine border. They look like they belong next to a bowl of mungfali.

All are hand-poured pure soy wax, made in our workshop in Jalandhar.

Where the light goes on a Punjabi Lohri evening

Think of the evening in three places, and buy for each one.

Outside, near the gate and steps. This is where guests arrive, often in the dark by 7 pm in January. A diya on each step or a pair on each side of the gate is enough. Keep them on the inner edge of the step, away from feet, dupattas and shawls.

The terrace or courtyard, away from the fire. If the bonfire is on the terrace or in the gali, keep candles on the far parapet or a side table, never near the fire. The bonfire is the light there; candles are only for corners that stay dark.

Inside, the table and the drawing room. After the bonfire, the family comes in for makki di roti and sarson da saag. This is where candles matter most, because there is no wind. Two or four matki candles around the food, or a line of sunflower tealights on the window sill.

How much to buy

Two packs of Diya Candles come to Rs 898, which is below the free shipping line, so Rs 79 shipping is added. One pack of Diya Candles with the Matki Candles comes to Rs 1,048, and shipping is free from Rs 999.

January wind: the one thing to plan for

Open flames outdoors in a Punjab January will flicker and some will go out. Cupped candles cope best. The sunflower tealights sit in clear cups and the diyas have a raised rim, which helps, but on a windy night put outdoor candles in a glass holder or keep them on the sheltered side of a wall. Bring them in when the dhol starts and children start running around.

What else people light and buy for Lohri

• Clay diyas with mustard oil are what many Punjabi homes light, and they are the right choice if you want a traditional lamp. Buy them from your local kumhar or bazaar.
• Fairy lights and LED strings for the terrace railing and the house front. We do not make LED lights; any electrical shop has them.
• Marigold strings and phulkari on the door and table. A phulkari dupatta as a table runner under the matki candles looks very Punjabi.
• Rewri, gajak, til and peanuts from your halwai, for the fire and for guests. Fresh is better, so buy them a day or two before.

Ordering before Lohri

• We dispatch in 24 to 48 hours. Delivery takes 2 to 7 days after dispatch, anywhere in India. Order in late December or the first days of January and check the delivery estimate for your pincode on the product page.
• Free shipping on orders of Rs 999 or more; Rs 79 below that.
• Prepaid only: UPI, card, net banking or wallet through Razorpay. There is no cash on delivery.
• Report any damage within 24 hours of delivery and we replace or refund it.

Keeping the evening safe

Keep every candle well away from the bonfire, from hanging dupattas and from where children play. Never leave a burning candle unattended, trim the wick to about 5 mm before lighting, burn on a stable, heat-proof surface and keep each burn to 3 to 4 hours.