Hola Mohalla 2017 at Kiratpur Sahib & Anandpur Sahib, Punjab

The celebration of the colourful festival of India ‘Holi’ is in full swing. In Punjab, it is Hola Mohalla that everyone is talking about. Punjab is all set to celebrate the festival with all its religious method. The preparation for the same has begun in Kiratpur Sahib and Anandpur Sahib, Punjab.

6 days long celebration of ‘Hola Mohalla’ festival has started in Kiratpur. First 3 days celebrations of Hola Mohalla festival will be carried out in Kiratpur Sahib, whereas the last 3 days celebration will be held in Anandpur Sahib.

Details of Hola Mohalla Event

Hola Mohalla Festival, Punjab

Date: 8th-13th March 2017

Days: 6 days

Venue: Kiratpur Sahib & Anandpur Sahib, Punjab

Attraction of the Hola Mohalla Festival

Celebration for Hola Mohalla has started in Gurudwara Patalpuri Sahib with the recitation of Akhand Path and beating of 5 old ‘Nagaras’. Community kitchen has also been set up for Hola Mohalla fest to serve the devotees. ‘Langar’ has been served in the roads as well leading to these 2 towns. Even huge crowd from various parts of India is arriving in the place to be a part of the Hola Mohalla celebration in Punjab.

  • Marshal arts of Punjab
  • Religious programs
  • Langar
  • Cultural activities like music, dance and poetry programs are held.
  • Horse riding by Nihangs.
  • Demonstration of traditional weapons.

And the most of Hola Mohalla festival can only be enjoyed in Anandpur Sahib, as the city has followed the tradition since the time it has been started by Guru Gobind Singh Ji. Thousands of Nihang assemble in Anandpur Sahib to be a part of this Hola Mohalla Fest every year.

As a huge number of devotees are expected to gather in Anandpur Sahib during the fest, Nakkian Toll Plaza has been ordered to not collect the toll just to ensure the smooth traffic movement in the area. No other place than Anandpur Sahib will be better to spend your Hola Mohalla as it will take you to the roots of the festival.

10 FACTS You must know about Khalsayee Festival Hola Mohalla – Singh Station

By Gurinder Kaur

 

1. Hola Mohalla is a Sikh festival celebrated in the Bikrami month of Phalgun. It has nothing to do with Holi except that Hola falls on the day next to Holi.

2. The word ‘Hola’ has been derived from halla meaning attack and hence Mohalla for the place of attack – Holgarh in Anandpur Sahib.

3. Hola Mohalla was started by the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh ji as a gathering of Sikhs for military exercises and mock battles to train the army.

4. It is an occasion for the Sikhs to re-affirm their commitment to Khalsa Panth.

5. The first Hola Mohalla was celebrated in AD 1670 a year after the birth of the Khalsa Panth.

6. The celebrations of Hola Mohalla are still centred at Anandpur Sahib and have a considerable element of the mock battles in the form of Gatka, mock fighting on horseback, dagger play and more demonstrated by the Nihang Singhs who flock to Anandpur Sahib in large numbers.

7. Holla Mohalla is celebrated for three-days that implies an organised procession (Nagar Kirtan) in the form of an army column accompanied by war drums and standard-bearers, and proceeding to a given location or moving in state from one Gurdwara to another.

8. Today Hola Mohalla has grown into a huge fair and attracts people from all over the country and the world to participate or watch this Khalsayee festival.

9. At the Hola Mohalla, one can observe Langar at close quarters from different Sikh congregations welcoming pilgrims and visitors irrespective of their caste, creed or religion.

10. Last but not the least, Holla Mohalla is a sense of liberated living that can be felt in the energetic expressions of Nihangs riding their horses at high speeds, while performing acrobatics on the horse backs.

VIA – http://singhstation.net/2015/03/10-facts-you-must-know-about-khalsayee-festival-hola-mohalla/

Hola Mohalla Described by Kulbir Kaur

By Kulbir Kaur

 

In addition to the traditional Holi, Sikhs celebrate Hola Mohalla, which was given a new form, new significance and a new name by Guru Gobind Singh. The word Hola means halla (attack) and “a military charge”. Mohalla implies an organised procession in the form of an army column. The Guru, in true spirit of “saint-soldier”, made Hola Mohalla an occasion for Sikhs to demonstrate their martial skills and at the same time to be imbued with the spiritual word in the form of shabad. The event was reinvented to revive the spirit of brotherhood and martial ethics in the Sikh community.

The sacred Guru Granth advises Sikhs to play a pure Holi by immersing themselves in Naam-simran (meditation involving chanting of the divine name). “I am imbued with the deep crimson colour of the Lord’s divine love; My mind and body have blossomed forth, in utter incomparable beauty,” says the Guru. Sikhs celebrate Hola Mohalla at Anandpur Sahib in a celebration marked by shabad-kirtan, langar, processions and poetry-recitals. The main attraction of the event are the feats shown by Nihangs like gatka, horse-riding, standing on speeding horses, etc. The festival of Hola Mohalla showcases the true colours of bravery.

 

VIA – http://www.deccanchronicle.com/opinion/op-ed/230316/mystic-mantra-holi-dahan-of-hatred.html

Thousands throng Anandpur Sahib for Hola Mohalla

Thousands of devotees converged on the Sikh holy town of Anandpur Sahib on Wednesday to take part in the Hola Mohalla festival of Sikhs.

It was a virtual sea of humanity of men, women and children near the main shrine, Takht Keshgarh Sahib, which holds significance in Sikhism. The three-day Hola Mohalla celebrations coincide with the Hindu festival of Holi.

All roads to the holy town, which is home to the second most important Sikh shrine after the ‘Harmandar Sahib’ (popularly known as the Golden Temple) in Amritsar, had heavy vehicle movement with people coming in hordes on buses, trucks, tractor-trolleys and other vehicles.

Anandpur Sahib is located about 85 km from Chandigarh.

It was at this shrine that the 10th Sikh master Guru Gobind Singh had in 1699 baptized five men and founded the Khalsa Panth, which is the modern-day Sikh religion.

The Hola Mohalla celebrations made its beginning around 1701 as Guru Gobind Singh wanted his troops to have mock battles to keep them battle-ready.

“Hundreds of Nihang Sikhs assemble in this religious town for the Hola Mohalla celebrations and show their prowess through the Gatka martial art,” Avtar Singh, a local resident, told IANS.

Leading political parties like the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal, opposition Congress and new entrant Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) organised their respective political conferences on the occasion.

VIA – http://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/thousands-throng-anandpur-sahib-for-hola-mohalla-sikhism-takht-keshgarh/story-xmoUkjWvFd0QSFDVoRiTCN.html