The purpose of this festival is to maintain mutual brotherhood by burning evils
There has been a difference between the Holi of yesteryears and today’s Holi. A few years ago, people used to have enthusiasm for the festival of Holi, and there was love among themselves. There was no hatred towards anyone. People used to play Holi together with love. People’s interest in traditional folk festivals has decreased due to other means of entertainment. This is because people have less time. Only a few days are left for Holi, but the colors of Holi are nowhere to be seen in the city. One month remained far away, and now the fun of Holi has not remained even for a day or two. This festival has been reduced to just half a day. Holi is done by applying color and gulal. As the traditions are changing, the sweetness of the relationship is getting lost.
Holi is such a colorful festival, which is celebrated by people of all religions with great enthusiasm and fun. On the day of Holi, everyone used to hug each other forgetting all enmity. But this festival of social brotherhood and mutual love and harmony, Holi, is also now seeing a phase of change. The sight of Falgun’s fun has now become a thing of the past. The colors of Holi, which have been fading for a few years, are now making me sad. The elders of the city say that ‘no laughter, no huddang, no color, no cover and no break’ What is this Falgun? Neither the ‘Kheli’ filled with water nor the noise of Holi…..ray. Nothing now, everything calm after a few hours of color-gulal. Those colors are no more in the fun of Holi. Aao Radhe Khela Phag Holi Ayi…. fill the copper and brass pot… bring gold Rupali lao pichkari… the voices of Pichkari have slowly slowed down.
The hubbub of Holi used to start as soon as Phalgun started. As soon as Phalgun arrives in the temples, ‘Fag’ used to start. Folk songs of Holi used to resonate. In the evening, along with dhap-chang, a traditional dance on the songs of Phag used to spread the colors of Holi. While playing Holi, people were caught and thrown in the water game. No resentment, everything used to happen happily. People used to prepare for Holi from Vasant Panchami. The songs of Holi resounded with the beats of change in the norms and temples of the society at the crossroads. The night was the highlight of non dancing to the beat of Chang. The people singing Falgun’s songs and Rasiya from outside used to dance non-stop in the night in the fun of Holi.
As far as Holi is concerned, now ‘Happy Holi’ starts and ends on mobile and the internet only. Now that joy is no more as it used to be. Earlier children used to create gangs and create ruckus on every street. 10-12 days before Holi, Holi hoarding with friends and collecting donations for Holi in every street, and pouring color on someone without asking showed a different love. During this, people used to laugh at them even after abusing them. Now people go on fighting.
Earlier, people used to consider the daughters-in-law of strangers as their own. Dishes were prepared in homes for the whole day and guests were entertained. Now everything is confined to homes only. Nowadays, it is as if there is no place left for reconciliation in relationships. When I felt like it, I did it formally by saying Happy Holi on the phone. Now that sweetness is no more in relationships. This is the reason why people do not allow their daughters-in-law to go to any acquaintance’s place. Earlier, the girls of the house used to go to everyone’s house and create a lot of hues and cry for Holi. Now the atmosphere has become such that if a girl stays with a relative for a long time, then the family members get worried as to why it has taken so long. Immediately they call and ask what are you doing, you should come home soon. Why now people do not have that much faith in relationships?
On the other hand, now there is a difference in the food and drink on the day of Holi. Gujiya, Puri-Kachori, Aloo Dum, Mahjum (Khowa), etc. are mere formalities. Now even on the day of Holi, things like cold drinks and fast food are being served to the guests. On the other hand, wish for happiness and peace in your home by taking seven rounds around Holika, making cow dung cakes of different shapes, making garlands made of grandmother and grandmother, and sweets from house to house with your friends in colorful dresses. Sharing, roasting wheat plants and singing folk songs of Holi. Now all these traditions have remained in name only.
The fun of Holi used to start after planting Holi. Little girls used to make balls for Holi with cow dung. She used to make garlands by making cow dung ornaments, coconut, anklets, nettles, etc. Now all this is not visible. Before Holi, colors were made by grinding Teshu and Palash flowers in homes. Women used to sing Holi songs. On the day of Holi, there was also a Goth in which Holi songs were sung on the beat of Chang. Before planting Holi, the songs of Phag used to resonate from Basant Panchami. Today, Holi songs are heard only in some temples. On the day of Holi, people of many communities used to go out to play Holi collectively. Dholak and change used to be played together, now where is that fun and hubbub?
Now Holi is only a discharge of tradition. In recent times, resentment and hatred have increased in society to such an extent that the elite families do not want to go out on the day of Holi. People have been celebrating Holi with great enthusiasm year after year. The purpose of this festival is to maintain mutual brotherhood by burning evils and evils. Today there are a lot of problems in the country of India. Talk about social inequality, due to this mutual love, brotherhood, humanity, morality are ending in the society. Once upon a time, the Holi festival had its importance, the whole family used to be present together on Holika Dahan. And on the day of Holi, colors were applied to each other and Abir used to celebrate the Uda festival. Groups of people used to sing Fagua songs in the fun of cannabis and distributed the love of Holi by going door to door.
Now the situation is such that on the day of Holi, 40 percent of the population locks themselves in a room. Every month, every season brings the message of some or other festival and even if it comes, these festivals of ours make us alive, communicate energy, and awaken hope in sad hearts. The burden of loneliness, even for a while, is reduced and filled with the feeling of companionship, it is the festivity that gives our country a different identity, identity as compared to others. Holi has to be looked at from the point of view of humans and the basic necessity to reduce the growing hatred in society
Mool Raj is an Environmental Science lecturer from Doda. Feedback at [email protected]
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