\Experience holi festival in different states of India with diverse traditions

Rang Panchami – Maharashtra

Rang panchami is celebrated in Maharashtra as the festival of Holi. It involves the burning of firewood pyres on the night prior to the actual festivities. On the next morning, people use wet and dry colors and water to celebrate, singing and dancing to the rhythm of the dhols and eating traditional sweets and food.

In some areas, singing and playing of musical instruments are seen in the streets. The festivities can last for a week, starting on the fifth day before Phalgun purnima.

During this time, Lord Krishna and his friends stole butter from the neighbors. To protect the butter from the thieves, women hid it in the high places of the houses. This tradition, which dates back to the time of Krishna Leela, is still followed today. Pandals are set up every year to break pots, and boys in large numbers climb up onto the pots. Women use water and colors to stop the boys from reaching the pots.

Royal Holi – Rajasthan

Every year, the City Palace of Jaipur hosts a spectacular ceremony, which ignites the joy of Holi among the locals and foreign tourists alike. Jaipur sees a huge influx of people during this festival, as it is a time when they can paint everyone in a variety of colors. The locals also follow the tradition of Holika dahan, but in a slightly different way.

The festivities include a grand procession with decorated horses and a royal band, followed by the lighting of a traditional fire and the burning of a replica of Holika.

Hola Mohalla – Punjab

Hola Mohalla was lionized by the Sikh guru Gobind Singh. Celebrated on the first day of Holi, this festival honours the courage and bravery of the Sikhs. It is celebrated as a martial arts, stunt, horse-riding, and mock-fight event to honor the bravery of the warriors of the sect, especially of the Nihang Sikh community. Later in the evening, it is customary to play with colors, listen to music and dance. The festival of ‘Hola Mohalla’ is the largest festival of ‘Anandpur Sahib’ in Punjab.

Kumaoni Holi – Uttarakhand

Kumaoni Holi is celebrated in the region of Kumaon in Uttarakhand that is more about music than color. It marks the beginning of the planting season for the local farming community. People light the ‘Cheer’ or ‘Holika’ pyre, which is a fire with a ‘Paiya’ branch in the center.

There are three forms of Holi celebrated here: ‘Baithaki’ Holi, ‘Khadi’ Holi, and ‘Mahila’ Holi. In Baithaki, the locals perform traditional songs with classical instruments, while in Khadi, the men wear traditional garb and sing and dance along with ‘Dhol’ and ‘Hurka’.

Mahila Holi, on the other hand, is a celebration only for women, and is a variation of ‘Baithaki’. The group of people who joined in this festival is known as ‘Toli’ and it involves people smearing ‘Colours’ on each other’s faces, dancing, and singing.

Lathmar Holi – Mathura (Uttar Pradesh)

Celebrated all over Uttar Pradesh, the Holi festival traces its roots back to Hindu mythology. The tradition dates back to the time when Lord Krishna visited Barsana and played Holi with his friends, including Radha and her friends.

The approach to Holi in Barsana is very different from the rest. The women here carry lathis or canes, which are used to hit men and boys playfully during the Holi. The men come with dhal, which is a protective shield. The unlucky man who gets caught by the woman dresses up as a woman and dances on the street. People light a bonfire, sing, and throw colored powders on each other.

The festival marks the completion of the winter season and the coming of spring.

Phoolon ki Holi is celebrated on the eve of Holi week and is celebrated with great enthusiasm by Krishna’s devotees at Banke Bihari temple in Vrindavan. The beauty of this festival lies in the atmosphere which is full of fragrances and flowers. The scenic view takes you to another world. It is more than just a celebration of Phoolon ki Holi, it is a way to express love and joy to the God by sprinkling flowers on him.

Phaguwa or Phalgun Purnima – Bihar

Holi marks the start of spring season. It is celebrated to signify the good harvest and the fertility of the soil. It is also associated with the mythological story of how Prahlad defeated Holika. On the eve of phalgun purnima, people light bonfires by burning cow dung, fresh harvest grains, and wood from Holika’s tree. The next day, people celebrate Holi with the use of wet and dry colors, traditional music, and folk songs. The air is filled with high-pitched folk songs accompanied by the sound of a dholak.

Yaosang – Manipur

Yosang is a five days Holi celebration program in Manipur. The festival begins with paying homage to the God Pakhangba. After sunset, people gather to burn a hut. On the 2nd and 3rd day, people sing and play traditional instruments in the temples. The main attraction of the festival is the Thabal Chokba, a Manipuri folk dance performed during the Holi celebrations.

Dol Jatra or Basant Utsav – West Bengal

In West Bengal, the celebration of Holi is known as ‘Dol Jatra’ or ‘Basant Utsav’. Women in the area dress mostly in yellow, which symbolizes abundance. The festivities begin with Lord Krishna’s worship, which is believed to have been played with friends and lovers of Lord Krishna. People dance to folk songs, sing, and throw coloured powder on each other. Some parts of the state also have a special practice called ‘Phool Dole,’ or ‘flower fight,’ where people throw flowers on each other. On the day after Holi, a procession of Lord Krishna passes through the streets of West Bengal, accompanied by chanting and dancing revelers. People often smudge the faces of their friends, family, and sometimes even strangers as they celebrate Holi.

Holi in West Bengal have a special meaning as they are celebrated on the birth anniversary of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. People participate in singing, dancing, chanting hymns, recitals, and traditional song and dance programs in the Shantiniketan of Kolkata.

Dola – Odisha

Dola is another Holi festival in India. Dola is celebrated in Odisha state. One of the main attractions of Holi in Odisha state is the worship of Lord Jagannath or Dolagovinda prabhu. There are Lord Jagannath processions with singing in many cities and towns.

Ukuli or Manjal Kuli – Kerala

Manjul Kuli or Ukuli is the name given to Holi in Kerala. On the first day of Holi, people visit the Konkani temple at Gosripuram thiruma. On the second day, people play Holi using water and turmeric.

The festival of colours is celebrated with singing of traditional folk songs. These songs are graceful and peaceful. It is a subtle way to play Holi. This is one of the unique ways of playing Holi. The kudumbi and konkani communities in Kerala celebrate Holi in this way. Here turmeric or manjal kuli is the main colour used.

Shigmo – Goa

Shigmo is a spring festival celebrated in Goa. It is a large-scale carnival with folk songs and street dancing, as well as playing with colours. The fishermen’s boats are brightly painted with religious or mythological motifs. The local farmers perform folk songs and dance.

There are two ways to celebrate Shigmo: ‘Dhakto’ Shigmo and ‘Vhadlo’ Shigmo, which means ‘small Shigmo’ and ‘big Shigmo’.  ‘Dhakto Shigmo is celebrated by the rural population, farmers and labourers, and ‘Vhadlo Shigmo is celebrated by everyone else.

Dhuleti – Gujarat

In Gujarat, the Holi festival is also known as ‘Dhuleti’. There is a procession with live music and dancing, and people throw coloured powder at each other. There are also burning of Holika effigies, and eating of sweets and savory food. The main purpose of Holi is to spread love and happiness and to greet the coming of spring.

Meduru Holi in Andhra Pradesh

Holi is celebrated as ‘Meduru Holi’ in Andhra Pradesh, where people participate in processions that are accompanied by traditional music and dance, as well as throwing coloured powders at each other. There is a unique tradition of singing songs dedicated to Lord Krishna.