Holi 2023: India is celebrated for its cultural diversity. Different regions, traditions and customs enrich the cultural heritage of India. The festival of colors is no exception. You would be surprised to know that the festival of colors comes with unconventional rituals, steeped in the regional ethos of the country. As India celebrates ‘Holi’ today, let’s revisit the unique traditions that have become a part of this festival.
Lathmar Holi
A unique ritual is performed in Barsana village of Uttar Pradesh where women beat men with wooden sticks. Men sometimes tease women to get their attention and then defend themselves against their beatings. Lathmar Holi was featured in the song ‘Gori Tu Lath Maar’ from the movie ‘Toilet: Ek Prem Katha’ starring Akshay Kumar and Bhumi Pednekar in the lead roles.
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Hola Mohalla is celebrated a day after Holi by Nihang Sikhs in Punjab. On this day, at Sri Harmandir Sahib, devotees with their families bow down, listen to Gurbani, take a dip in holy water, and seek Guru Sahib’s blessings. Festivities include martial arts, horse riding, and reciting poetry, mainly followed by colorful Holi celebrations to pay tribute to the bravery of the Sikh warriors.
Holi ashes
Varanasi, the city famous for its Holi celebrations, has a shocking custom. After the worship of the priest, the people in the activity throw the ashes of the cremation on each other. Usually gulal is added to give color to the ash.
bonfire burning
This custom, followed in many places in India, involves placing huge piles of dry branches and unwanted items, which are then set on fire. It means to welcome happiness and success in our life while driving away sorrows and negativity.
Dol Jatra
In some areas of Bengal, namely Shantiniketan and Birbhum, people celebrate Basant Utsav, a Holi festival that involves singing, dancing and bhajan singing. People gather and worship Lord Krishna. Men throw ‘abir’ or colored powder, and dance around the swings as women sing religious songs and dance. Rituals are important because they are chroniclers of the history and development of a particular region of the country.