The Indian Kaleidoscope of Diversity Unveiling Holi Festivities Across Different States

Do me a favour, let's play Holi? We know you’re going to hum back “rangon mein hai pyar ki boli!” In Anu Malik’s charm through and through. But what if we were to tell you Holi is way more than just the Bollywood movies commercialising a colourful pool party? It’s a union and amalgamation of joy, culture and traditions which wow us with their uniqueness as the geography across the states of India changes. As we move along this blog post we’re going to discuss the diverse ways in which this beautiful festival of colours is celebrated across various demographics. The essence of this festival is the celebration of spring and the victory of good over evil. To know and to understand different cultures and traditions helps an individual to broaden their view of the world. Not only is it a form of experiential joy to have a peek inside different cultural practices but also an interesting focal point of unity amongst the citizens of the word! So do us a favour, let's play Holi? With a twist.

● Manjul Kuli in Kerala: Celebrated on the day of Holi, Manjul Kuli is a festival of the South amongst the Konkani and Kudumbi communities.This mellow festival lasts two days, the first of which is marked by visiting the Gosipuram Thiruma’s Konkani Temple. Spiralling into the rhythm of folk music, the second day of Munjul Kuli people smear each other not with colours but rather turmeric paste. This turmeric which has been offered to the deities over the past year is collected from the temple visit of the first day.

● Phagua in Bihar: The distinctive touch to Holi in Bihar is known by the name Phagua. The festival of Holi symbolises the triumph of good over evil, therefore on the eve of Phalgun Poornima, people light bonfires. Mouth watering delicacies and a lot of fun remain at the centre stage of this festival in Bihar. While dancing away to traditional folk songs, a myriad of food items are prepared which include, pakodas, malpua and gujia. Another interesting and rather unique ritual is to break earthen pots filled with coloured water. This act of breaking the pots also symbolises the victory of good over evil.

● Kaman Pandigai in Tamil Nadu: Celebrated on the day of Holi, Kaman Pandigai is of rather special and unique importance to the people of Tamil Nadu. For Tamils this day is marked as the day of rebirth of God of Love, Kamadeva. This ritual of this day stems from a mythological tale where Kamadeva attempted to interrupt Lord Shiva’s mediation which ultimately led to Kama’s fiery demise. But in a turn of events, Kama’s love arrow proceeded to pierce Lord Shiva’s heart leading up to the union of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati’s reunion. Rati’s plea to revive her husband resonates with Shiva and he promises to bring him back to life. On this day, images of Kamadeva and his consort Rati are revered and then later on set ablaze, during the same hour of Holika Dahan. It’s an oscillation between mourning the death of Kamadeva and rejoicing in his revival. It is an ode to the testament of the power of love. During the dahan, sandalwood is offered to Kamadeva in order to lessen the pain. The next day, which is celebrated as Holi, marks Kamadeva’s revival and celebrations.

● Yaosang in Manipur: The day of Holi is brought forth as a beautiful amalgamation of indigenous traditions in Manipur. Celebrations and joy-filled activities are carried out on this day by the Meitei Tribal people, one of which is Thabal Chongba, the traditional dances. It is celebrated with young men and women dancing in a circle under the moonlight by forming a circle. It is an ode to unity and love amongst the communities of Manipur. This day transcends beyond being just the festival of colours but with a rather fun filled mix of activities which involve dances and sports events.

● Dol Jatra in Odisha: Dol Jatra is celebrated as a day reminiscent of the divine love between Lord Krishna and Radha. On the day of Holi, Dol Jatra is celebrated where beautifully ornamented and decorated palanquins of Lord Krishna and Radha are taken in pompous and joyous processionals. It’s a delight to witness these beautiful singing and dancing devoted to the love of god. The vibrancy of this day is of the kinds that’s smeared into the hearts forever. This visual spectacle is a surreal experience for tourists and devotees.

Not only is India a land of festivals and vibrancy, but also a land of a single festival celebrated in its own version of culture and tradition. To be able to witness and be a part of the roots of Indian heritage in all its glory is indeed a matter of great pride. Festivals are the culmination of religious joys and a form of community building. A lyric from a song of Veer-Zara quite aptly said, “yahan kadam kadam pe hai mil jaani koi prem kahaani, aisa des hai mera’. This translates to “On this diverse land of India, you’ll find a love story at every step.” Quite rightfully so, a love story of how our culture is so well rooted with the demographics of the place that it is the kind of love that makes one say, “You can take an Indian out of India but not India out of an Indian!"