Archive for category Food, Culture & Society

Holi festival “Festival of colours” in Himachal Pradesh is celebrated similar way as in other part of north India. People lights bonfires, symbolic victory over evil. People in Himachal are fully charged up when it comes to play holi. Various creative and innovative designer pichkaris are bought by children to colour anybody who comes in view thats called color of festival. In Himachal Pradesh, thousands people gather at the holy shrine of Ponta Sahib on the banks of Yamuna river to seek divine blessings.

Holi festival in Kullu is marked by mixture of colours with snow called “Ice-Holi”. Main celebrations Ice Holi are held at the Rohtang Pass famous for heaviest snowfall in the country.

In Uttarakhand, Specially in Kumaon region, The uniqueness of the Kumaoni Holi define by many musical affair. there are different kind of Holi One is “Baithki Holi”, One is “Khari Holi” or “Mahila Holi”. “Baithki Holi” and “Khari Holi” are unique in term of songs peoples are playing or singing. These songs are specially based on classical ragas. Any One can say Baithki Holi is also known as “Nirvan Ki Holi”. “Baithki Holi starts from the local temples, where professional singers of Holi songs sing songs to the accompaniment of classical music. These professional singers are known as “Holiyars”Kumaoni people are very specific about the choice and timimg of the songs as per ragas. At afternoon time the songs are based on Peelu, Bhimpalasi and Sarang ragas and while in evening songs are based on the ragas like Kalyan, Shyamkalyan and Yaman etc.

Khari Holi is mostly enjoyed in the rural areas of Kumaon region. Songs during Khari Holi are sung by the people, who arein traditional white churidar payajama and kurta. khari holi also consists of some dance session. Dance enjoyed in groups to the tune of ethnic musical instruments in bacground of local folk songs.