Holi festivities pick up in Kumaon

BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, March 5

Holi celebrations were in full swing in the Kumaon region as the weather improved slightly today. The festival, which started from the Kali Kumaon region of Champawat district, is also being celebrated in Haldwani, Ramnagar, Nainital, Almora, Ranikhet, Champawat and Pithoragarh towns.

In the Kali Kumaon region of Champawat district, the tradition of Holi celebration is the oldest. It began in the 11th century when the Chand Kings, who came to the region from Jhunshi, near Allahabad, consolidate their position and invited Chaube brothers from Mathura to organise Holi here. “Our Holi begins on the first Sunday of Hindu month of Paush with devotional songs and bhajans and ends on sixth day of Falgun month,” said UD Chube, a retired university professor and resident of Sui region of Kali Kumaon.

According to Chaube, ‘Hili’ in the Kumaon region is basically composition of devotional songs which is sung in various classical ragas all over the region in almost three months time.

Prabhat Upreti, another Holi scholar, said while Chand Kings of Kumaon introduced Krishna Devotion as Hili in the region was given classic ragas by Muslim artists who came in the courts of these kings later from mainstream. “Even today Muslims take part in Holi in various categories including enjoying the festivities with colours,” said Upreti.

The Tharu tribe residing in the Sitarganj area of Udham Singh Nagar has a unique tradition of celebrating Holi. Being organised by Tharu community in a big way, the Tharu Holi is slightly different from that in other parts of Kumaon as they sing in praise of their own traditional deities besides mainstream deities like Krishna and Rama.

The Hukka Club in Almora and Ram Sevek Sabha in nait natal have emerges as main patrons of Holi traditions in Kumaon region as these institutions have worked in direction to collect various forms of Holi prevailed in the region. “ It was Almora from where the tradition of singing Hili in Kumauni ragas began in late 19th century, the tradition later reached to all corners of the region,” said Tribhuvan Giri Maharaj, a devout Holi singer at Hukka Club in Almora.

While the entire region is under Holi majic, some villages in Dharchula, Munsiyari and Didihat do not use colours as according to the legends prevailed in their villages, their ancestors have taught them to keep away from Holi colours as they annoy local deities and cause losses. “Though, some people who have been serving in other parts of the state have started playing Holi, but most of the villagers keep away from it,” said KS Kunwar.