Article by EIH Researcher and Writer
Anupam Tripathi
Kheluungii Holi, Khaaja ghar aaye,
Dhan dhan bhaag hamare sajni,
Khaaja aaye aangan mere
– Amir Khusro.
Holi enthusiasm reigns throughout the country. My parents go nuts even before the Holi celebrations start. Holi becomes a competition for them. My mother gets up early to hide all our colours, and when we hide her colours, she starts screaming: “It’s not fair. You shouldn’t play Holi like that.” Just as there is a special reason for celebrating every festival in India, so there are many stories about Holi. Braj Holi is famous all over the world. Every year people from India and abroad go there to enjoy holi. Basant Panchami signals the start of the celebrations. People carry coloured water guns and smeared gulaal (red powder) on their faces. Flowers are offeredd in temples and Abeer/Gulaal flow in the air. The Mughal rulers also celebrated this festival enthusiastically in their era.
Holi was celebrated as Id-i-Gulabi during the reigns of Mughal emperors Akbar, Jahangir and Shah Jahan. In Mughal India, it was also known as Aab-iPashi (shower colourful flowers). Abul Fazal writes in Ain-i Akbari that Akbar began collecting beautiful squirts and syringes of various sizes throughout the year in anticipation. This was one of the rare occasions when Akbar would come out of his fortress and even play Holi with the commoners. In Tuzuk-i Jahangiri, the autobiography of Mughal Emperor Nuruddin Muhammad Jahangir, it is mentioned that Jahangir used to celebrate Mehfil-i Holi. It was celebrated on the same scale as Eid at the Red Fort or Qila-i Moalla (Exalted Palace). This syncretic culture in India was indeed inspired by Delhi’s holiest Sufi saint, Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia, considered one of the first secular theorists, advocated love for people of all religions, and his disciple Amir Khusro. They revered colours, especially “pink” and “yellow” as divine expressions in their beautiful Persian and Hindu poetry. He also ordered his protégé to compose poetry in the language of the commoners and began celebrating Holi at his monastery. Therefore, Holi and Basant also become an integral part of Dargah celebrations.
Many artists, notably Govardhan and Rasik, have shown Jahangir playing Holi with Nur Jahan, his wife. Jahangir’s court was very multicultural and multilingual. Jahangir enabled Sanskrit Brahmin intellectuals to visit the courts in significant numbers. They would flatter him with Sanskrit poetry, praising him as the God-sent Emperor who has descended in the form of Krishna. Satisfied after hearing so much praise, he would present the Brahmins with gold and jewels, his word on cow protection and freedom of religion. He would then proceed with the grand assembly of all the Hindu consorts of Jahangir, who acted as gopis, along with Hindu philosophers, advisers, astrologers, etc., who would take turns putting a red mark on the forehead by Jahangir. After that, everyone would throw colours at each other. Both Hindus and Muslims attended the celebration at the Mughal court together. Mohammed Shah Rangila ran through the palace, his wife chasing him with a pichkari.
Behind the Red Fort on the banks of the Yamuna, melas were organised.. A huge crowd would gather from the fort to Raj Ghat. Queens, princesses and nobles sat on their jharokas (enclosed, overhanging balconies) and enjoyed the festival. In the evening, a big Holi celebration took place in the Red Fort, with singing and dancing all night long. Famous courtesans from all over the country came here. The Emperor would reward these artistes generously. The most popular song would be Bahadur Horiyan by Shah Zafar. Bands of performers would roam Shahjahanabad entertaining the aristocrats and the wealthy in their havelis. A lot of friendliness would be associated with the catchphrase “Bura Naa Mano, Holi Hai!”. Don’t get this wrong, it’s Holi. Bahudar Shah Zafar (1775-1862) took part in the celebrations with great vigour and enthusiasm and mingled with his subjects.
Here’s what he wrote about the festival:
Kyun mope maari rang ki pichkaari
dekh kunwarji du’ngi gaari
(Why have you drench me with colour?
O Kunwarji I will swear at you)
bhaaj saku’n main kaise moso bhaajo nahin jaat
thaa’ndi ab dekhu’n main baako kaun jo sun mukh aat
(I can’t run, I am unable to run
I am now standing here and want to see who can dare to colour me)
Bahut dinan mein haath lage ho kaise jaane deoon
Aaj mainphagwa ta sau Kanha faita pakad kar leoon.
(After many days have I caught you, how can I let you go
I will catch you by your cummerbund and play Holi with you).
Royal patrons, like Ibrahim Adil Shah and Wajid Ali Shah, used to distribute mithai (sweets) and thandai (a drink) to everyone in their kingdom. It was a common and beloved festival of all.
Reference
- Jahangir, Tuzuk-i Jahangiri
- https://sabrangindia.in/article/colourful-history-holi-and-islam#:~:text=Holi%20was%20celebrated%20as%20Id,hold%20Mehfil%2De%2DHoli.
- https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.scroll.in/article/800900/in-mughal-india-holi-was-celebrated-with-the-same-exuberance-as-eid
