Holi festivities begin with colourful processions in Kullu

Colourful processions marked the start of two days of Holi celebrations in Kullu on Monday. The local calendar names the first day “Chhoti Holi” and the second day “Badi Holi” and the timing is set by the full moon rather than the date observed elsewhere. Streets were filled with music, flags and the bright dust of ‘gulal’, creating a festive atmosphere that carried through neighbourhoods and into the town’s sacred spaces.

Residents took part in processions bearing traditional flags and accompanied by the local ‘baza’ (orchestra). Groups from Akhara Bazaar, Upper Sultanpur, Lower Sultanpur, Sarwari and Lower Dhalpur visited the Raghunath temple and played Holi with the chief deity, Lord Raghunath, and the descendants of the erstwhile royal family. The processions also moved door to door while the participants sang traditional Holi lyrics and smeared colours at homes throughout their localities.

Holi in the town is often compared to the celebrations of the festival in Vrindavan and Mathura because many of the same rituals and customs are observed here. The festival’s local rhythm begins after Basant Panchami and the Mahant community observes a prolonged period of song and devotion, known as the “holashtak”. These practices link present-day revelry to centuries-old religious and cultural traditions.

A distinctive feature of the celebrations is the role of the Mahants, a community that arrived with the idols of Lord Rama and Mata Sita from Ayodhya in the mid-17th century. The Mahants lead the processions and sing Holi songs for 40 days, as the festival starts after Basant Panchami, which was obeserved on January 23 this year. Their presence and rituals give the festival a devotional dimension alongside its exuberant public celebrations.

“Badi Holi”, celebrated the following day, combines daytime play with an evening ritual called “Phaag” or “Holika Dahan” at the erstwhile ruler’s palace at Raghunathpur. However, this year, due to the lunar eclipse on March 3, the Holi processions will not be allowed to visit the Raghunath temple from 3 pm to 7 pm. During “Phaag”, the chief deity is carried on a colourful palanquin while two large pyres - heaps of wood and grass with a tall mast and flag at the centre - are lit to symbolize the triumph of good over evil. The Mahants from different parts of the town leap across the burning pyre to claim the flag, a dramatic display of courage and strength believed to bring blessings and fruitful returns to the family that secures it.