Hola Mohalla

Held from 18th Mar - 20th March 2022

Holla Mohalla is Traditionally a Sikh Festival celebrated in Punjab. It is celebrated every year in the month of March, sometimes coinciding the day after Holi. According to The Mahan Kosh (the first Sikh encyclopaedia), the term 'Hola' is derived from the word Halla (a military charge) and the term Mohalla stands for an organized procession or an army column. The words 'Hola Mohalla' thus stand for 'The Charge of an Army'. It shares it's characteristics of fun, enjoyment and colours with the Festival of Holi. Though it is Sikh Festival, it brings together people from different religions in an atmosphere of sharing and caring. It falls on the First Day of the Lunar month of Chet in the Nanakshahi calendar of Sikhs. It sometimes coincides with the Sikh New Year. The festival lasts from Three days to a Week  and consists of camping out and enjoying various displays of fighting prowess and bravery, followed by kirtan, music, and poetry. It reminds the people of valour and defence preparedness, concepts dear to the Tenth Guru who was at that time defending the Sikhs from the attacks of the Mughal empire and the hill kings.

History - The festival was started by the tenth Sikh Guru - Guru Gobind Singh on Chet vadi 1, 1757 Bk (22nd February,1701) at Anandpur. The Guru made Hola Mahalla an occasion for the Sikhs to demonstrate their martial skills in simulated battles. This was probably done forestalling a grimmer struggle against the imperial power following the battle of Ninnohgarh in 1700. Guru Sahib told his Sikhs to wake up to their responsibility and duty as Akaal Purakh Ki Fauj (the Army of the Almighty) to defend The Truth and Protect society. It was also established, to keep the Spirit of 'Preapardness for defending the Truth', alive. This has now become a traditional annual festival of Sikhs held at Anandpur Sahib and Kiratpur Sahib in Punjab. The celebration has been recognized as a National Festival by the Govt. of India. The foothills of the Shivaliks in Ropar district of Punjab's north-eastern region, especially around the historic townships of Anandpur Sahib and Kiratpur Sahib, have, since 1701 been playing host to Hola Mohalla. Full fledged events are held particularly in an open field near Holgarh Fort which is located in the northwest to the town of Anandpur.

Events - Even today, Sikhs celebrate this festival joyfully by watching and performing in martial arts parades, led by the Nishan Sahibs of the Gurdwaras. This annual festival is now replicated at other Gurdwaras worldwide. Though the festival has now lost much of its original military significance, but Sikhs especially Nihangs (Sikh Knights) gather in large numbers at Anandpur Sahib and display an impressive and colourful procession which includes parading their skill in the use of arms, horsemanship, tent-pegging, and other war-like sports.

The festival day begins with early morning prayers at the gurudwaras. The Guru Granth Sahib is ceremoniously taken out and bathed ritually with milk and water. After that, it is placed on the platform and venerated. Kirtans are sung and people perform kar seva. The prasad is consecrated and everyone partakes of it. After the service, community lunch is served at the common hall. Raw materials like wheat flour, rice, vegetables, milk and sugar are provided by the villagers living nearby. Women volunteers take part in cooking the Prasad and also cleaning the utensils. Traditional cuisines are served to the pilgrims who eat while sitting in rows on the ground. Evening is the time for Cultural Activities. The Nihang Sikhs, dressed in most impressive attire such as in deep blue robes with saffron girdles, high conical turbans decorated with steel rings, flowing beards, twisted moustaches, exhibit their martial skills and daring through mock battles, sword-fighting displays, archery and horse-riding exercises. The Nihangs also splash colour on the spectators, and everyone follows suit.

Special programmes are organised for Holla Mohalla. Stories and songs about the life, valour and wisdom of the ten Sikh gurus, from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh, are told and recited. Music, dance and poetry programmes and competitions are held at many venues. The other attractions of the Holla Mohalla celebrations are Wrestling: Started as a tradition by the followers of Guru Hargobindji within boundaries of Akal Takht Sahib and it is mostly his boost that wrestling as a sport made Punjab its birth place. The other sports activities on Holla Mohalla include Archery, Kabaddi, Weight-Lifting, Cycling, Football, Acrobatics and twisting an iron-rod by placing it on Adam’s apple, etc. All these festivities come to an end with a day long pageant, which starts from Takth Keshgarh Sahib led by Panj Pyaras and passes through various important Gurudwara’s of the village.

Alternate Name - Hola

Holiday Status - It is Holiday in majority of Punjab and in some parts of India