The festival of Lori is celebrated in praise of Dulha Batti. Most songs of Lori glorify him and are sung in his remembrance.
The story is set in Medieval India, when the Mughals ruled most part of the Indian subcontinent. During the reign of Mughal Emperor Akbar, there lived a Muslim Rajput bandit named Rai Abdullah Khan Batti. The celebration Lori festival is associated with the tale of Abdulkah Bhatti, who is a celebrated historic hero. He is popularly called the Son of Punjab or the Robin Hood of Punjab. The story goes like this ...
Once there lived a very beautiful young girl in a village of Punjab
Soon the word about her abduction spread around the village. In the village there lived a highway robber named Abdullah Bhatti.
When Bhatti came know about it, he attacked the feudal lords and rescued the girl. He took her to his hideout in the old fort. He adopted the girl as his daughter and married her to a young and modest Hindu boy before a bonfire (according to the Hindu wedding tradition). He gave a kilo of sugar to the girl as her wedding gift. (This incidence took place in the season of sugar harvest).
Soon Bhatti came to be known as a good man for his modest deeds. He revolted against the Mughal rulers for their unjust practices, refused to pay taxes and passed wealth to poor and needy by robbing the rich. He also rescued girls who were taken away forcefully for slavery, and arranged for their ritualistic marriages and wedding gifts (dowry). He became popular as Dullah Bhatti (the word Dullah means bridegroom) for his noble work. People loved and respected him. He is still remembered and the songs of Lori include his name.
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