Holi begins with ragas before colours in Kumaon villages

Bageshwar: Unlike colour-driven Holi celebrations seen in most parts of the country, festivities in Uttarakhand's Kumaon region begin with weeks of traditional musical gatherings. The celebrations formally started on Sunday with Baithki Holi and Khadi Holi rituals, beginning with the jalabhishek of Lord Shiva at Bagnath Temple in Bageshwar on the occasion of Mahashivratri.While Baithki Holi focuses on classical raga-based compositions, Khadi Holi involves group singing and coordinated dance movements. In the Satrali belt of Almora district, seven villages — Thapla, Panergaon, Lohana, Khadi, Jhadkot, Kotwalgaon and Kande — continued a tradition believed to be around 150 years old. Every year, singers known as holiyars travel nearly three hours to present their first Holi renditions at Bagnath Temple. Accompanied by dhol, manjira and other traditional instruments, they enter the temple premises singing devotional songs as locals and migrants visiting home gather in the courtyard."The festival formally begins in the region from Bagnath Dham. After that, the Holi is sung at various temples," said Lalit Kandpal, a senior holiyar from Satrali.Celebrations also picked up at Gopeshwar Mahadev Temple in Kanda, where groups from nearby villages performed in their own styles. Despite differences in tempo and presentation, the performances reflected a shared devotional tradition. "This temple is not just a place of worship; it connects villages and generations," said a local.Even though migration has reduced populations in many hill villages, families often return during Holi to take part in the celebrations. "It reminds us that our roots are in the mountains," said Sagar, a young participant. With music starting weeks before colours are played, Kumaon's Holi continues to stand out for its strong musical and devotional traditions.