Lohri, one of north India’s most vibrant festivals, marks the end of the winter season and the arrival of the harvest period. Known for its colourful traditions, bonfires, folk dances and seasonal delicacies, the festival brings warmth and togetherness during the cold days of January.

In 2026, Lohri will be celebrated in mid-January, continuing the tradition of welcoming prosperity, happiness and new beginnings.

When is Lohri in 2026

According to the Druk Panchang, Lohri will be observed on Tuesday, January 13, 2026.

The auspicious time for Lohri Sankranti will begin at 03:13 pm on January 14, while Makar Sankranti will be celebrated on Wednesday, January 14, 2026.

Lohri holds cultural significance, especially in Punjab, Haryana and parts of north India, where families gather around bonfires, offer prayers, and celebrate with music, dance and traditional food such as jaggery, groundnuts and popcorn.

Happy Lohri 2026 Wishes, messages and quotes

Here are some heartfelt wishes and messages to share with family, friends and loved ones on Lohri:

• Wishing you a Lohri filled with joy, happiness and prosperity. May this festival bring warmth and light to your life.
  
• May the bonfire of Lohri burn away all your worries and bring you warmth, joy and success. Happy Lohri.
  
• On this day of Lohri, may the divine festival fill your life with prosperity and growth. Happy Lohri to you and your loved ones.
  
• As the fire of Lohri flourishes, may all your sorrows and troubles vanish with it. Happy Lohri to you and your family.
  
• May the warmth of the Lohri bonfire fill your home with happiness and love. Happy Lohri.
  
• Wishing you a harvest of joy and prosperity this Lohri. May your days be filled with happiness.
  
• On this auspicious occasion of Lohri, may all your dreams come true.
  
• Let the festival of Lohri bring you endless joy and abundance. Wishing you and your family a very Happy Lohri.
  
• May the Lohri fire burn away sadness and bring warmth, joy and happiness into your life.
  
• Sending you warm wishes for this festive season of Lohri. May it bring prosperity and success.
  
• This Lohri, may the sweetness of jaggery and the warmth of groundnuts add happiness to your life.
  
• May the festival of harvest fill your life with abundance and prosperity. Happy Lohri.
  

India registered a hard-fought four-wicket victory over New Zealand in the first ODI in Vadodara on Sunday, with KL Rahul holding his nerve in the final overs after Virat Kohli narrowly missed out on a landmark century.

Chasing a target of 301, India appeared firmly in control for most of the innings, led by Kohli’s composed 93 off 91 balls. The former India captain struck eight fours and a six, anchoring the chase before falling seven runs short of what would have been his 85th international hundred.

Kohli’s dismissal triggered a brief collapse, allowing New Zealand back into the contest. However, Rahul remained calm under pressure, scoring an unbeaten 29 off 21 balls. His decisive penultimate over, featuring two boundaries and a six, ensured India crossed the line with six balls to spare.

Earlier, Shubman Gill contributed 56 while Shreyas Iyer looked set for a half-century before being bowled for 49. Harshit Rana also played a crucial cameo, adding 29 off 23 balls at a tense stage of the chase.

Despite disciplined spells from the New Zealand bowlers, India reached 306 for 6 in 49 overs to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

New Zealand innings

Batting first, New Zealand posted a competitive 300 for 8. Daryl Mitchell led the charge with a counter-attacking 84 off 71 balls after early pressure from India’s pace attack. Henry Nicholls and Devon Conway also chipped in with half-centuries to provide stability to the innings.

India’s bowlers managed to pull things back at the death, preventing the visitors from pushing beyond the 300-run mark.

Key milestone and award

During his innings, Kohli became the fastest player to reach 28,000 international runs, achieving the milestone in his 624th innings, surpassing the previous record held by Sachin Tendulkar.

Despite missing out on a century, Kohli was named Player of the Match for his decisive contribution in the chase.

The second ODI of the series will be played on January 14.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru opened their Women’s Premier League 2026 campaign with a dramatic three-wicket win over defending champions Mumbai Indians, riding on a sensational all-round performance from Nadine de Klerk in Navi Mumbai on Friday.

Opting to bowl first, RCB restricted Mumbai Indians to 154 for 6 in 20 overs, with de Klerk emerging as the standout performer. The South African all-rounder returned figures of 4 for 26, repeatedly breaking partnerships and preventing MI from building momentum.

Mumbai had found themselves in early trouble after being reduced to 67 for 4 in the 11th over. Gunalan Kamalini top-scored with 32 at the top, while captain Harmanpreet Kaur made 20. The innings was revived by Sajeevan Sajana, who played a fluent knock of 45 off 25 balls, hitting seven fours and a six. She added 82 runs for the fifth wicket with Nicola Carey, who contributed 40, helping MI post a competitive total.

Lauren Bell and Shreyanka Patil picked up one wicket each for RCB, while the match began with Bell delivering a maiden over that set the tone for the bowling effort.

RCB stumble before de Klerk’s rescue act

Chasing 155, RCB got off to a brisk start through Smriti Mandhana and Grace Harris, who scored 18 and 25 respectively. The opening pair attacked early, but both fell in quick succession, triggering a collapse that saw RCB slip from 47 for 2 to 65 for 5 within a few overs.

Richa Ghosh, Dayalan Hemalatha and Radha Yadav departed cheaply, leaving RCB in deep trouble at 75 for 5 halfway through the chase. With wickets falling around her, de Klerk held firm, finding support briefly from Arundhati Reddy, who scored 20.

Last-over drama seals RCB victory

The match went down to the final over with RCB needing 18 runs and three wickets in hand. De Klerk rose to the occasion, striking a six and a four off the third and fourth deliveries before hammering another six off the penultimate ball. She then drove the final delivery for a four to complete an unbeaten 63 off 44 balls, sealing a memorable win for RCB.

RCB finished on 157 for 7, with Prema Rawat remaining not out on 8. For Mumbai Indians, Nicola Carey and Amelia Kerr claimed two wickets each, while Nat Sciver-Brunt, Shabnim Ismail and Amanjot Kaur took one apiece.

The WPL 2026 season thus began with a high-octane contest, highlighted by Nadine de Klerk’s match-winning performance with both bat and ball.