Craze of ‘Chhoti Holi’ diminishing

Kullu, March 23

The craze of ‘Chhoti Holi’ is diminishing in Kullu as it was earlier celebrated with enthusiasm.

The first day of two-day festival is called ‘Chhoti Holi’. Earlier, many colourful processions marked the beginning of the two-day celebrations here, but now only a few processions are seen on ‘Chhoti Holi’.

A majority of shops also remain open, something which was not witnessed a couple of years back when most people participated in the festivities. While the people of the Bairagi community here, locally known as Mahants, start celebrating the festival 40 days before Holi, the passion among people in general is receding.

Meanwhile, residents today participated in processions carrying traditional flags accompanied by local ‘baza’ (orchestra). Processions from Akhara Bazaar, Upper Sultanpur, Lower Sultanpur, Sarwari and Lower Dhalpur visited the Raghunath temple and played Holi with chief deity Lord Raghunath and the descendants of the erstwhile royal family. They also went to houses in their locality and sang traditional Holi songs, besides playing with gulal.

‘Badi Holi’ will be celebrated tomorrow when people will play Holi during the day and ‘Phaag’ will be burnt in the evening to mark the end of the festival at the erstwhile ruler’s palace at Raghunathpur.

The chief deity of Kullu, Lord Raghunath, is brought in a colourful palanquin. Wood and grass arranged in two large heaps and a long mast with a flag is placed in the centre of the pyre. It is put on fire to symbolise the ‘Holika Dahan’.

The Mahants of different parts of the town leap across the burning pyre to claim the flag. The legend holds that the family winning the flag is blessed to have fruitful returns.