#SIKHIWIKI HOLLA MOHALLA FULL#
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With the establishment of Sikh sovereignty over all of Punjab by late eighteenth century, Holi celebrations acquired a grandeur not seen for a long time in north India. From then on, Hola Mohalla became an integral part of the Sikh faith.

#SIKHIWIKI HOLLA MOHALLA SERIES#

So, on the Holi of 1701 AD, the Guru personally organised and supervised a series of military drills and mock battles to the accompaniment of recitations of the holy scripture. The event, as described by the parable of bhaktВ Prahlada and the destruction of the evil king Hiranyakashipu, was meant to convey a message of unswerving faith, devotion, hope, and the ultimate victory of good over evil, even against all odds.Д®nvisioning a long struggle ahead for the Sikhs against persecution from the Mughals, and realising the need for them to be both strong in their faith as well as prepared physically for battle, the Guru decided on Holi as the occasion when all Sikhs would reaffirm their faith in the Khalsa tradition and prepare for the fight against evil. The Guru felt that the ancient festival of Holi had lost its significance over centuries. In 1701 CE, the tenth Sikh guru, Guru Gobind Singh, was camped at Anandpur Sahib in the Siwalik Hills, where he was leading a campaign against Aurangzeb and the chieftains of the surrounding hill kingdoms. The parable is part of a section that corresponds with the ragaВ Asa, which seeks to instill a mood of hope, courage, inspiration, and determination in the listener. Each chapter in the Guru Granth Sahib corresponds to a raga, which in turn has a direct relationship with particular human moods. The parable of bhaktВ Prahlada and the demon king Hiranyakashipu finds mention in the Sikh holy scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib, where there is a description of how the lord (Hari) protects from all evil those who place their unwavering faith in him. Sporting shining swords, long spears, conical turbans, the Nihangs present a fierce picture as they gallop past on horseback spraying colors on people.On the last day a long procession, led by Panj Pyaras, starts from Takth Keshgarh Sahib, one of the five Sikh religious seats, and passes through various important gurdwaras like Qila Anandgarh, Lohgarh Sahib, Mata Jitoji and terminates at the Takth. There are also a number of durbars where Sri Guru Granth Sahib is present and kirtan and religious lectures take place. They perform daring feats, such as Gatka (mock encounters), tent pegging, bareback horse-riding and standing erect on two speeding horses. The Nihang Singhs (members of the Sikh army that was founded by Guru Govind Singh) carry on the martial tradition with mock battles and displays of swordsmanship and horse riding.

On this three-day festival mock battles are held followed by music and poetry competitions. It reminds the people of valour and defence preparedness, concepts dear to the Tenth Guru who was at that time battling the Mughal empire. Also, simulated battles with war drums & standard bearers, games of tent pegging & bareback horse riding.Holla Mohalla is a Sikh festival celebrated in the month of Phalguna, a day after Holi.An annual festival held at Anandpur Sahib in Punjab, Hola Mohalla was started by the tenth Sikh Guru, Gobind Singh, as a gathering of Sikhs for military exercises and mock battles on the day following the festival of Holi. Here there are turban tying competitions, mock fights & a demonstration of martial arts.

The same at Anandpur Sahib is bigger & better we are told.

#SIKHIWIKI HOLLA MOHALLA FULL#

The mela is on in full swing & will continue up to Baisakhi. It has a museum that has antiques, weapons & personal belongings of the last Guru. The scenic Gurudwara dedicated to guru Gobind Singh is on the banks of the Yamuna. Everyone it appears is going to the Holla Mohaala fair at Paonta Sahib, midway between Nahan & Dehradun. There are tractors brimming with human cargo in their colorful best. Ripe & red & a plenty the farmers donвЂ™t mind you plucking & eating them. Past Asan barrage on the Yamuna are field of strawberry. Swaying in the breeze, ready to be harvested for Holi has just gone by & Baisakhi is only a few days away. The forests give way to fields of mustard, wheat & corn. Villages appear & disappear, hand pumps dot the landscape, vast stretches of pot-holed roads interspersed with amazing state of the art highways. At Rs 10 a glass it is a most refreshing drink especially when garnished with lemon & mint. There are make shift stalls beneath the shade of trees selling fresh sugarcane juice. Sometimes it is a beast of burden plying this load. Tractors spilling with sugar cane bear past.

Would this be Birnam Wood marching towards Dunsinane Hill? Cruising at an easy 80mph, fast approaching & almost upon us, is what can only be described as a forest on wheels. Along the Nahan вЂ“ Dehradun highway, on either side of the road are forests of Sal, Mango & Poplar.

Sikhiwiki holla mohalla