Holi at Barpeta Satra

"Festivals are great because you get to just walk around the corner and see a new band that you've heard but not had the chance to check out", to this thought I would like to add my own experience of travelling to Barpeta Satra at the time of Holi at middle of March last year which was the most wonderful memory for me.

 Holi is the most colourful festival which is celebrated by the people of India but I have seen at Barpeta Satra, of Assam,  Doul Mahotsav  which is the local name of Holi celebration there, is something different and special.  In Barpeta the Doul festival is celebrated for 3 to 5 days. The 3-day Doul is called “Burha Doul” and four or five days Doul is called “Deka Doul”. Burha Doul falls in the Assamese month of ‘Chaitra purnima’ (2nd half of march- full moon) and Deka Doul falls in the Assamese month of ‘Fagun Purnima’ (1st half of march – full moon). All 3 to 5 day festivals basically celebrate the wedding ceremony of Sri Krishna and Rukmini. The first day is called Gandha.

 It’s just like the engagement ceremony or Jaimala reception of the traditional marriage ceremony. In the day time, the idol of Koila baba (Sri Krishna’s local name) and Rukmini is brought out from the prayer hall (manikut). They are made to wear new clothes and ornaments, just like an engagement ceremony. After that Koilababa and Rukmini are brought near Meji (Meji is bonfire, same as the Holika dahan of North India) and after alighting the meji, Koilababa takes seven rounds around it.  People believe that, that the winters are on their way out. Atachbaji (Fireworks) or Phanuch (flying lanten) are the main attractions of Gandha. All fire crakers are locally made and have a huge demand across the country.

Koilababa is then brought to Jagmohan Ghar (a special house) after Meji Puoa and on a sacred moment in the night Koilababa is brought to Doul Ghar in a special walk of seven steps (SaptaThak) while the people of Barpeta sing the holigeets (holi songs) with great enthusiasm – making the scene as perfect as that of a jaimala. The bride and the groom are kept there for the people to come and take blessings from.

The second day is called Bhar Doul which always falls on the full moon day (starting from the first day of the full moon, the celebrations may continue to 2nd or 3rd depend on days of festivals). These days are celebrated traditionally and Koilababa and Rukmini remain on the Doul for public blessings.

The last day is called Phakua or Suweri. This is the day for people to play with colour and roam around the town. There is no end of joy for anyone. People of every age and gender celebrate with the same joy and fervour. If you are a tourist and not playing holi, people will not throw a single drop of water to you. Women are treated with utmost respect and no one throws colour on any women if they don’t play holi.

In the evening, Koilababa and Rukmini are brought down from the Doul and taken out in a beautifully designed asana, or you can say dola. People take them for full seven rounds of the Namaghar, like the saat-phere of a hindu marriage. After completion of the seventh round, Koilababa and Rukmini are taken back to their original place in Manikut (inside the prayer hall). After that the Daba (a big drum) beats 108 times and thus ends this famous Doul festival of Barpeta.

It is very difficult to capture all the joy in a single write-up, if you visit you can feel the joy of Holi – a somewhat different festival of India. This was just a brief description about the festival, not a usual journey. Mostly on Holi, one sees Holika-dahan and the colour play, but in Barpeta, you get to see a very thick streak of pure joy with colour.

But the main drawback I found is about the restrictions of  the entry of women at Barpeta Satra . A large board outside the Satra clearly states that according to tradition—women will not enter the Kirtan Ghar and Manikut Griha. Established by Mahapurush Madhav Dev, this satra has traditionally barred the entry of women. Even local women have accepted this predicament.However there is no such rule in many other satras which also promulgate similar ideas and values. Auniaati Satra in Majuli does not restrict the entry of women. In case of Satras, one cannot claim that celibacy of the Mahapurush was a reason for restricting entry of women. In fact Srimanta Shankardeva acknowledged family life.

So, in the end I want to say that it was overall a good experience on 2018, where not only I enjoyed the moment but also came to know about the rule that is followed from a long time in different Satras.

Manisha Swargiary

1^st semester,

Department of  Community and Journalism