The festival was founded by Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru. The Guru was in the midst of fighting both Aurangzeb of the Mughal Empire and the Hill Rajputs, and had recently established the Khalsa Panth. On 7 March 1701, Guru Gobind Singh started a new tradition by overseeing a day of mock battles and poetry contests at Lohgarh Fort. The tradition has since spread from the town of Anandpur Sahib to nearby Kiratpur Sahib and the foothills of the Shivaliks, and to other Gurdwaras around the world.
According to Guru Gobind Singh’s court poet Bhai Nand Lal, colors were thrown by the participants after completion of the mock battles. Sikh tradition holds that Guru Gobind Singh also participated in the colorful festival with the use of gulal which has survived into modern times with Nihangs “splashing gulal (red farinaceous powder) on each other and the audience”. The alternative view is that the practice of throwing colors was not observed by Guru Gobind Singh.
Hola Mohalla builds upon the festival of Holi. The Sri Guru Granth Sahib prescribes celebrating Holi by serving God. The colours of Holi manifest in the Lord’s love. As Holi starts with Holika Dahan on the full moon night of Phagan or Phalgan, the festival of Holi is referred to as the festival of Phalgun even though the actual day of Holi falls on the first day of the lunar month of Chett. Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji built upon this method of celebrating Holi by adding a martial element and creating Hola Mohalla to be celebrated a day after Holi.
Two Nihangs perform Gatka at the Hola Mohalla festival in Anandpur Sahib on March 13, 2017
A Nihang performs ‘Gatka’, an ancient form of Sikh martial art, during the Hola Mohalla festival in Anandpur Sahib
A Nihang’s turban is lined with steel rings, traditionally as protection from enemy weapons
A young Nihang after playing with Holi colours
Guru Gobind Singh, the last of the 10 Sikh gurus, had created this as an occasion for Sikhs to show off their martial arts skills and host mock battles
It was at Anandpur Sahib 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
Lakhs of devotees and Nihangs visit Anandpur Sahib and Kiratpur Sahib during the three-day festival
Lakhs of devotees and Nihangs visited Anandpur Sahib and Kiratpur Sahib, the second most important Sikh shrine after the Golden Temple in Amritsar
Nihangs applied colours on each other and paid obeisance at various Gurdwaras, including Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib
Nihangs ride their horses displaying tent pegging and other horse riding. 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
Nihangs, Sikh men who belongs to an armed Sikh order, display horse riding skills during the Hola Mohalla celebrations in Anandpur Sahib on Monday. Hola Mohalla is a Sikh festival that takes place on the day following Holi, the festival of colours
Young sikhs performs ‘Gatka’, an ancient form of Sikh martial art during a procession through the streets of Anandpur Sahib
Nihang Sikhs participate in the Hola Mohalla celebration at the holy city of Anandpur Sahib on March 22, 2019
Nihangs participate in Hola Mohalla celebration at Anandpur Sahib on Friday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: RAVI KUMAR
Nihangs participate in Hola Mohalla celebration at Anandpur Sahib on Friday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: RAVI KUMAR
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