The many shades of Kumaoni Holi

We stood on the balcony of the cottage. Right in the front of us and nestled against the distant deep blue horizon towered the magnificent soaring white peaks of the majestic Himalayas, silhouetted against the bright blue skies- a surreal sight capable of mesmerising any soul. In the courtyard below, a group of kids were squirting colourful waters from their Pichkaris and drenching everyone around them in the coloured water. We got to know from our home stay host Neelam that a unique fun element used in the Holi celebration here is a small globe of Lakh that contains red powder and instantly breaks when thrown at someone.

As we looked on, a group of women singers generously adorned with the colours of Holi arrive in the courtyard. They sit in a circle and sing Holi songs. People from the audience join in midway and pick up a strand to add to the festive fervour. We learn from Neelam that this form of singing is called bhaglagana, a type of relay singing. Since singing and dancing are an integral part of daily life in this region, almost every Kumaoni is a fairly accomplished singer.

Kumaon, the mountainous region of Uttarakhand is a collage of scenic mountain villages cloaked in ancient forests of oak, pine deodar and reverberating with silence and sanctity. Another thing that makes this place stand out is the Kumaoni Holi, which is celebrated in a distinctive style. Holi here has three varied forms of celebration, namely the Baithki Holi, the Khari Holi and the Mahila Holi. The hills of Kumaon reverberate with melodious notes of music as the Kumaonis celebrate the festival of Holi in a way very different from the rest of the country.

These unique celebrations, a culmination of local traditions of Kumaon along with the spirit of Holi are initiated on the day Basant Panchami and lasts for almost two months.

Like the cooing doves each year, the sight of Holiyars signals the arrival of Holi in every town of Kumaon. Faces smeared with gulal, they move from house to house singing Holi songs with full-throated ease. Each year in the run-up to Holi, the Holiyar's sacks get filled with money and their mouths with sweets while the town turns into a land of love where gender and caste differences merge.

The origin of the musical tradition of Holi in Kumaon dates back to the 15th century to the Champawat court of the Chand Kings where the musical traditions of Braj mixed with Kumaoni musical traditions had evolved to form an unique form of celebration. With the spread of Chand rule, the Holi traditions spread all across Kumaon and acquired their distinct Kumaoni flavour.

Baithki Holi is celebrated by singing while sitting with a close group of friends and family begins on the day of Basant Panchami. The Baithki Holi songs which include verses composed by Surdas, Meera, Kabir and Tulsidas as well as those by Kumaoni poets Charu Chandra Pandey and Maheshanand Gaur are a unique blend of Hindustani Classical Music and Kumaoni Folk songs. They are usually accompanied by instruments like Harmonium. Interestingly, the Holi is believed to have been strengthened by the efforts of renowned musician Ustad Amanullah Khan who came to Almora around the 1850s.

The program usually start from temples and subsequently the venue keeps shifting from one home to the other as enthusiasts vie with each other to play the host. One of the most inspiring things about these baithaks is that it is not just limited to the people belonging to Hindu religion, but these musical gatherings are equally attended and enjoyed by the local Muslims and Christians. The tradition of Holi allows people, irrespective of their social status and age to come together thereby strengthening the social bonding and the feeling of community among the people.

Kumaoni Khari Holi means 'Standing Holi', and it usually begins after Baithki Holi. This festival is filled with a lot of excitement and fun, quite unlike the sedentary and sturdy form of Baithki Holi. Kumaoni people (especially from the rural parts of Kumaon) are adept in singing folk songs. The air is filled with vibrant music, and one can witness the Kumaoni people visiting houses of their loved ones and singing their folk songs adorned in the traditional attires (white kurtas and pyjamas). The people keep dancing in groups along with music played by ethnic instruments like the Dhol and the Hurka. It is primarily celebrated by men, and the groups of men (known as 'tolis') keep the atmosphere enthusiastic and lively as they move from house to house.

Kumaoni Mahila Holi is quite similar to the Baithki form, except the fact that here the gatherings are entirely composed of the Kumaoni women. Songs based on love and spiritual unions are sung by the native women of the region. The women mostly use Dholak in place of "table" for rhythm and the event is dominated by group singing.

Holi in Kumaon is not only an exuberant occasion but also a heritage that the region has saved from degradation for generations. In the pre-Independence era, Holi was the biggest tool to influence the people from all over the place of Uttarakhand. The network developed by the Holi boosted the "Quit India Movement" through an array of Swadeshi songs spun and sung to boost the spirit of the people.

Our home stay host Neelam showers us with rose petals; applies gulal ka tikka on our foreheads and gives us a colourful cap each, with 'Holi Mubarak' stamped on them. She also offers us savoury Gujjias loaded with moist khoya and dried fruits, delicious and creamy raita, crispy singal and crispy yellow aaloo gutuk — the traditional Holi must-eats. Then the day progresses, more servings of snacks and pahadi style alu-gutke with coriander chutney arrive. These lip smacking local delicacies just melt in our mouth, tantalising our taste buds and making us cry out- "Yeh Dil Mange More!"