EDITOR’S
DESK
“
Dipped in hues
of love and
trust has come
the festival of
H
Kumaon, a mountainous region in Uttarakhand,
offers a spectacular array of natural scenic
beauty topped with the sheer sanctity of the
surrounding. The welcoming and rustic for-
ests, snow clad mountain peaks and the fas-
cinating and surreal village life aptly defines
the life in this region of Northern India. The
magnificent view of soaring white peaks of the
majestic Himalayas, silhouetted against the
bright blue skies is capable of mesmerising
any soul. Another thing that makes this place
stand out from the rest is the Kumaon Holi,
which is celebrated in a distinctive style here.
The musical ecstasy of Kumaoni Holi has
three varied forms of celebration, namely the
Baithki Holi, the Khari Holi and the Mahila
Holi. Among the Kumaoni people, this cultur-
al festival depicts the victory of good over
evil as well as the end of the winter sea-
son and the beginning of the sowing season,
which is a highly important season for the
agricultural communities of Northern India.
This unique culmination of local traditions of
Kumaon and the cultural traditions of North-
ern India are initiated on Basant Pancha-
mi. In Kumaon, this traditional celebration
of Holi lasts for almost two months. Kuma-
oni Holi witnesses unique ways of celebra-
tion, which are different from the Holi cel-
ebrations in the other parts of our country.
Songs on classical ragas based on themes
like spirituality, fun and melody are sung
during the celebration of Baithki Holi and
Khari Holi, while Mahila Holi is the extrava-
gant celebration done exclusively by women.
OLI.”
3.