HOLA MAHALLA/HOLA MOHALLA
14th March 2025
Sikhi
In 1701 Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru, introduced this festival at Anandpur in Punjab, India, as an alternative to the Hindu festival of Holi. It included competitive displays of swordsmanship, horsemanship, archery and wrestling, together with displays of weapons and symposia of poetry. It was a colourful occasion, particularly for young Sikhs, and was observed on the day after the Hindu festival of Holi.
It is still celebrated each March in its original format over three days at the Anandpur Sahib Gurdwara. It is nowadays a martial fair, designed by Guru Gobind Singh, to strengthen the Sikh community by carrying out military style training and mock-drills, which are accompanied by religious discussions.
In many countries of the world, wherever Sikh communities are found, Hola Mohalla (or Mahalla, or just Hola) has become an annual festival, also celebrated each March. In the tradition established by Guru Gobind Singh, it follows the Hindu festival of Holi by one day, although sometimes it is celebrated on the same day as Holi. Hola is the masculine form of the feminine sounding name Holi.
The festivities of Hola Mohalla begin by visiting local gurdwaras for early morning prayers. Official gatherings take place where portions of the Guru Granth Sahib are read. Spiritual songs and religious lectures mark the occasion and after the religious ceremonies are over, prasad is distributed among the people.
When the procession sets off, the Panj Pyares walk in front, making visits by arrangement to all the major gurdwaras in the area. Hola Mohalla has become the ideal time to celebrate and also to dedicate oneself to community service, and, as in the Punjab, langars are organised, with local people coming forward to help by providing the raw materials for the cooking the meal, washing the dishes and cleaning the gurdwaras.
In the evening a marked degree of anticipation and excitement takes over, as martial members of the Sikh community (Nihang Sikhs) display their physical strength through daring acts like mock-battles (gatkas), sword-fighting displays, archery, wrestling and exercising on speeding horses. They also splatter coloured powders and liquids on the audience. This is followed by cultural activities including music, dance and poetry programmes and competitions.
The word ‘Mohalla’ is derived from the Arabic root hal (alighting or descending) and is a Punjabi word that implies an organized procession in the form of an army column. This is accompanied by war-drums and standard-bearers, and proceeds to a chosen spot or moves in state from one gurdwara to another. But unlike Holi, when Hindus playfully sprinkle coloured powder, dry or mixed in water, on each other, the Guru made Hola Mohalla an occasion for the Sikhs to demonstrate their martial skills in simulated battles. Although Sikhism today is a peace loving tradition, it is its pride in the events of its past that has led the Indian government recently to accord the celebration the status of a national festival.