The festival of Holi is celebrated every year with great enthusiasm all over India. Holi is celebrated in Rajasthan in the same way. Holi which is originally known as ‘Holika’. It is not just a modern festival but a centuries -old tradition underlying deeply in Indian culture. Its initial references can be found in ancient religious works such as Purvimamsa-Sutra and Kathak-Griha-Sutra of Jaimini. It is believed that Holi was celebrated in Arya civilization.
Holi is observed to mark the beginning of the spring. The specific date of Holi Festival can vary every year, as it is celebrated on the full moon day of Fagun month in the Hindu calendar. Many types of events are organized in various cities of Rajasthan on the occasion of Holi. Various colors of Holi are seen in Rajasthan. In the days of Holi, the view in the presiding deity Govind Dev temple of Jaipur is worth seeing. In the temples of Rajasthan, Phag Utsav is organized with Rang-Gulal on Holi.
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Bikaneri Holi is the center of attraction, Dolchi is played between the Harsha and Vyas caste of Pushkarana society. The water game is a vessel made of dolchi leather in which water is filled and this water is hit on the back of the front with a strong attack. Ston Holi is played in Barmer, then Koda or Santmar Holi in Ajmer celebrate with great pomp. New eunuchs are included in the eunuchs group on the occasion of Holi in Sangod town of Hadoti region. On this occasion, Lokotsavas called Nhan and Khade Ka Nhan are organized. Porn language is used fiercely in the Nhan of Khade.
Falgun’s arrival in Brajanchal in Bharatpur is not an ordinary thing. Brajwasi villagers sing Rasiya with their folk bombs on the chaupals of Braj village with their folklore bombs. Rural women of Deeg region dancing with a heavy charakula on their heads with burning lamps on it. In the entire Braj, the nectar of bliss occurs like this. This tradition is the heritage of Braj. The tradition of Lathmar Holi of Braj at places like Barsane, Nandgaon, Kaman, Deeg etc. still confirms the culture here. Dauji’s Huranga is also famous for Chaitra Krishna Dwitiya. Brahmanagari Pushkar’s cloth tearing Holi has not only taken its own position in the country but also abroad. Here, local and country tourists along with foreign tourists play Holi with great pomp and tore each other’s clothes.
Seven days after Holi in Barundani village of Bhilwara district of Mewar zone, Lathmar Holi played on Sheetla Saptami is enjoying its own. Man and men of Maheshwari society play this Holi. Men add water to the women and put them on women and women beat them with sticks. After Holi here, the king’s ride is taken out. On the Sheetla Saptami, a dead ride is taken out from the mansion of Chittorgarh people. In this, wooden steps are made and the person alive lying on it is taken out in the entire market. During this time, the youth roam the entire city with this bier. People bathe them with colors.
Holi of Dungarpur district of the state is considered to be the most unique. Here, the Wangadis get involved in preparations a month before Holi and get rid of Holi hanging. On the day of Holi, people in Kokapur village of the district still follow the tradition of walking barefoot on Holika’s burning coals. People believe that walking on the coals of Holika Dahan does not cause any calamity in the house. People have been playing stone Holi at Dhulandi for the last 200 years in Bhiluda, Dungarpur. People consider stoning stones in place of colors and consider shed blood as omen on the day of Holi. On this day, a large number of people make two groups in the Raghunath temple complex and start throwing stones at each other. Those injured in this game are immediately admitted to the hospital. Apart from this, people still play Lathmar Holi in Bharatpur and Nandgaon of Karauli due to the district of Mathura.
Holi of Shekhawati is famous all over the country. In Phalgun, the blast has started to be heard as soon as it is evening. On the beat of Chang, the feet have started dancing and the melodious sound of the flute has started dissolving in the ears. When Holi comes near, such an atmosphere is being seen in village-to-village and dhani-dhani in Shekhawati. Holi, a festival filled with enthusiasm and fun, begins when the spring is on its full puberty and the melody of the flute and the man’s mind starts dancing on the beat of Chang. When Holi comes near, such an atmosphere is being seen in village-to-village and dhani-dhani in Shekhawati.
Chang, which is played on the occasion of Holi in Shekhawati, is also specially made in this area. The voice of Chang is only for the dholak, but the texture is completely different from the dholak. Chang dholak is much larger and round surrounded. As soon as Holi starts, people in the villages start handling their respective Chang (Dhap). Since Holi is the main festival of spring season and Basant Panchami is a sign of the beginning of the spring season. Therefore, in this region, the festival of Holi is duly started by playing Chang (Dhap) from the day of Basant Panchami. The folk culture is described in the blasts sung to the tune of Chang on the festival of Holi in the region.
In Shekhawati zone, a special Gindad dance is performed on Holi. In the Gindad dance, similar to Gujarati dance Garwa, many people dance in a round surrounding the sound of naked in different types of fame and dancing with poles in a circle and collides with each other. Initially, this dance, which started slowly, gradually gains momentum. At this speed, the sound of sticks also collides at a very fast pace and a wonderful scene of dance and voice arises.
People say that if folk instruments Chang and Dhamaal are removed from the festival of Holi, then the festival of Holi will become lifeless. The villagers consider Chang and Dhamaal to be the soul of Holi festival. Today this tradition is gradually disappearing. Earlier here the festival of Holi was celebrated with love, everyone used to sing on the Chang together, but nowadays all that is over. Due to the growing liquor in the area, people are afraid to get out of the houses at night and there is no harmony in the villages as before. Apart from this, this folk festival has been made artificial due to the increasing circulation of audio cassettes. The originality of the festival is going to end due to cassettes. If attempts are not made to end the practice of evils and alcohol that is prevailing on Holi in time, then this festival will lose its original form.
Ramesh Saraf Dhamora
(The author is an independent journalist recognized by the Government of Rajasthan.)
