In the beautiful hill areas of Uttarakhand, there are certain traditions which are extremely unique and closely related to the way life has been lived by the hill folk for centuries.
When the entire country has celebrated and is done with Diwali, Jaunsar-Bawar in this hill State celebrates “Boodhi” (Old) Diwali. These celebrations begin exactly a month after Diwali. It is said that the news of lord Rama returning to Ayodhya and being crowned the king reached here late.
When the Diwali celebrations in Jaunsarl conclude, it is time for Holi in the Kumaon region of the State. Yes indeed! Holi begins in Kumaon as soon as the Paush month commences. While Christmas festivity is in the air everywhere in the country, celebrations for the festival of colours begin the Kumaon Himalayas. At the height of winter, on the first Sunday of the Indian month of Paush, begins the traditional “Baithki Holi” of Kumaon which helps to bring a lot of warmth to homes and hearts with its musical “mehfils” that brighten up the winter evenings in the hills every year.
Though Holi celebrations of Mathura and Vrindavan are very well-known, the special celebrations of Kumaon, though not so widely known, have features which are very different from Holi celebrations anywhere in the country. Holi in Kumaon is a festival of rhythm and melody. Kumaon’s “Baithki Holi” is unique and nothing close to it is found in any other part of the country. Folk songs, of course, form a part of Holi celebrations elsewhere but ragas of Hindustani classical music make the Kumaoni Holi so different and fascinating. “Baithaks” begin in households in the region and various ragas are sung. Most of these Baithaks are attended by men folk. “Mahila Holi” begins after the festival of Basant.
In this, women visit their friends and inside the homes, they sing and dance to the accompaniment of folk music instruments like the “dhol” and “manjeera”. Amid the severity of the winter comes this melodious promise of spring when the hills are covered with flowers of various hues and “Phagun” finally arrives.
The Baithki Holi is also known as “Nirvan Ki Holi”. The Baithki Holi begins from the premises of temples, where Holiyars (the professional singers of Holi songs) as also other people gather to sing classical ragas. Ragas and raginis are the colours with which Baithki Holi is celebrated. It is one of the most fascinating aspects of Kumaon’s cultural heritage.
At noon, songs based on Peelu, Bhimpalasi and Sarang ragas are sung while evening is reserved for the songs based on the ragas like Kalyan, Shyamkalyan and Yaman. The compositions are sung in Hindi, Brajbhasha and Kumaoni languages. A spiritual touch is evident in the choice of songs. The harmonium and tabla are important for the Baithki Holi.”Baithaks” are held in all Kumaoni households and are accompanied by lot of festivity and cheer. Some people get together in groups in the villages and sit around bonfires to sing ragas all night. Such bonfire Baithaks are a special feature of this Holi.
After the Baithki Holi begins the “Khari Holi”, a week before Holi, and this make the shift from sitting to getting up and dancing to celebrate the advent of spring in the hills. “Mahila Holi” also begins around this time. A week before the festival, Kumaon is steeped in dance and music. Among the popular songs of Kumaon Holi are “Jhankaro, Jhankaro, Abke Phagun arj karat hun, dil kar de matwaro,tum ho braj ki sundar gori, main mathura ko matwaro” and “ han hanji haan, Seeta van mein akeli kaise rahi hai ,kaise rahi din raat.”
Most of the songs are related to the life of Ram and Seeta and Radha and Krishna. Their spiritual nature gives the name “Nirvan Ki Holi” to Baithki Holi. On the actual day of Holi, “Holiyaron Ki Tolis” consisting of young and old visit all the Kumaoni households and give their blessings. In cities, several days before the festival, professional dancers and singers stage programmes which are attended by Kumaoni people in large numbers. Kumaonis residing anywhere in the country or abroad religiously celebrate the “Baithki”, “khari” and “Mahila” Holi.