Kombad Holi of the Worlikar Family, Worli Koliwada
Cultural celebrations promote cultural heritage and foster a sense of belonging. India celebrates numerous festivals with great enthusiasm and pomp throughout the year. At almost any point of the year, one can find Indian people busy preparing for one festival or the other. Festivities are a way of making merry. An integral aspect of human social life, festivals allow community members to pass down the traditional values and ways of celebration from one generation to the next. Festivals often have a symbolic meaning behind them, offering a glimpse into the cultural beliefs and practices of a community or region.
Holi, one of India's most popular festivals, is widely celebrated as a festival of colors and love across the country. Holi falls in the Hindu month of Phalgun. Celebrated a night before the festival of colours is the festival of Holika dahan (burning of Holika). Hairanyakashipu was an Asura king who wished to be immortal. To fulfill his desire, he performed tapas (spiritual meditation), until Brahma granted him a boon. In Brahma’s words, Hiranyakashipu would not die at the hands of any being created by Brahma; he could not be killed inside or outside, during the day or the night, by any weapon on the ground or in the sky, by men, beasts, devas, or asuras. He would be unmatched, and his power would not diminish, making him the sole ruler of the universe. Because Hiranyakashipu had such power, anyone who challenged his authority was punished and executed. Pralhada, Hiranyakashipu’s son, was a Vaishnava who refused to worship his father as a god. Enraged by this, Hiranyakashipu attempted to kill Pralhada several times. Holika, Hiranyakashipu’s sister, helped kill Pralhada during one such attempt. Holika had received a boon that made her invulnerable to fire. The plan was to make Pralhada sit on Holika’s lap above a burning pyre. However, when the pyre was lit, Pralhada invoked the name of Vishnu, protecting him from the fire while Holika was set on fire. On this day, a bonfire is lit to celebrate the victory of good over evil, honoring the tale of Pralhada and Holika. The Holika dahan bonfire symbolizes the purification of individuals, purging them of sin and negativity. The festival also marks the beginning of spring, indicating rejuvenation and regeneration. The festival typically lasts several days. The thought behind celebrating Holika dahan remains more or less the same across the country, although the specifics of the festival's names, customs, and traditions vary in different regions and communities. Commonly known as Shimga around the western coast of Maharashtra, Holi is a grand 15-day celebration in the districts of Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri, and Raigad.
Mumbai’s coastal community, the Kolis, have their own unique way of celebrating the festival of Holi. Despite changes in time and history, the Kolis still incorporate the festival of Holi into their cultural celebrations. Every year, the Kolis look forward to the festival celebration. Koligeets (Koli folk songs) were specially curated for the Holi festival. While most of the country celebrates Holika dahan on the night of Holi Pournima, the celebrations in the Koliwadas begin a day before the general Holika dahan tithi (day of Holika dahan). The Kolis from the Vaarinpada region of the Khardanda Koliwada celebrate Holika dahan on the trayodashi tithi (13th day of the lunar month in the Hindu calendar), two nights prior to the pournima night (15th day marked by the full moon). According to legend, one year during Holi in Bombay under British rule, wood was scarce. It was necessary to procure wood because it is a major component of the Holika dahan bonfire. As a result, the Kolis from the Vaarinpada region stole wood for the bonfire from a rahat—a large, wooden waterwheel that draws water from wells. Angered by this act, British officers ordered the Kolis from Vaarinpada to celebrate Holi two days earlier as punishment. Since then, the Kolis of Varinpaada have celebrated Holi on the trayodashi tithi of Phalgun. [1]
Kombad Holi
The Koliwadas celebrate Kombad Holi at both the family and community levels. Some alleys (gallis) and friend groups (mitra mandal) arrange their own celebrations. People celebrate Kombad Holi, also known as Mulanchi Holi (children's Holi), the night before Holika dahan. Vilas Anant Worlikar, a resident of Worli Koliwada and chairman of the Golfa Devi Mandir, explains the name Kombad Holi as the Kolis celebrate and dance throughout the night, until the cock (kombda) crows at the break of dawn. When asked about why Holi is celebrated a day prior, Purushottam Worlikar, also a resident of the Worli Koliwada, recounts a little story. The Koliwadas celebrate Patlanchi Holi on the day of Holika dahan. The honour of lighting the Holi bonfire rests with the patil (the village headman). The Patlanchi Holi is also known as the maanachi (respectable/honourable) Holi. Festivals and their celebrations go hand in hand. Dance, singing, dressing up in new and fine clothes, and going out with loved ones all serve as means of celebration. Purushottam Worlikar narrates that during his grandfather’s time, the Kolis used to have a blast (dhammal) during the night of Holika dahan, engaging in dancing and singing. However, the villagers disliked the chaos and desired a dignified celebration of Holika dahan, free from much tumult or ruckus. Thus, they asked the villagers, especially the kids, to celebrate Kombad Holi on the day before Travodashi Tithi, allowing them to have unlimited fun.
Yashwant Koli, Purushottam Worlikar's brother, initiated the Worlikar family's tradition of celebrating Kombad Holi. This celebration has been around for about 60 years. One might wonder how people with two different surnames could be brothers. Purushottam says that you can find such cases in the Koli families in Worli, even with blood-related brothers. Some use the surname Worlikar because they live in Worli, Mumbai, while others use the surname Koli because that is the community's name. According to Yashwant Koli, the surname they use is a matter of individual preference.
Trees and wood are central to the Holika dahan celebration. The Maharashtra Tree Conservation and Development Act prohibits tree felling without the authority's prior permission. If found guilty of felling trees, one faces monetary fines, levies, and strict legal actions. Thus, sourcing wood for the celebration becomes a significant concern for the Kolis. To keep such things in mind and avoid the hassle of procuring trees for the celebration, the Worlikar family decided to plant their own trees in the little space they had at the back of their house. For twenty years, they have used backyard trees and replanted them for Holi. For the celebration in the Worli Koliwada, various groups and families used different kinds of trees. The betel nut palm tree (supari) was the most commonly used. Some Kolis claim to have sourced the wood from the Vasai region. The Worlikar family plants and uses a tree locally known as the punai cha jhaad.
Before cutting the tree, the Kolis make an offering of flowers, rice, halad (haldi), kunkoo (kumkum), and vida. The Kolis make a vida using the betel leaf, betel nut, and lime (chuna). After performing a small pooja, the tree undergoes felling. After cutting the tree, generously apply a paste of gulal (a red-coloured powder) and bhandara (holy turmeric) on its trunk, and attach a flag to its top. They hammer several coins of various denominations into the lower part of the trunk. (Image 1) One can observe men, women, and children engaging in this activity with great joy. The Kolis claim that this is an age-old practice, since silver coins were in use. The Worlikars, on the other hand, could not recall the concept's meaning or significance. After hammering the coins, they place the tree trunk in a one or two-foot-deep pit. Once we place the upright tree trunk in the pit, we clean the premises and decorate the tree with flowers, colourful streamers, and balloons. People also refer to this upright tree as Holi. The most traditional form of decoration consists of colours and flowers. Such decoration also finds mention in the Koligeet, Aamche Daarashi Haay Shimga (Rangan Rangili Na Phulan Sajvili Havlu Baay Majhi Havlu Baay). [2]
Another important tradition is the bomb thokne. People would scream and shout in honor of Holi. During the British era, grand celebrations of festivals and public gatherings were prohibited. As a form of protest against such rules, the Kolis would scream slang and abuse in the name of British officials. The tradition continues even after more than 75 years of independence from the British. Today, the names of individuals from the family or family names are used instead of the names of British officials. They follow the practice for the sake of tradition and fun, not to provoke any negative reaction or result.
The Kolis adoringly refer to Holika as havlu baay, havlay, haul mata, or Holika mata. People treat her as a goddess, decking up an image of her like a bride. A saree, ornaments, and face mask representing the goddess are used to give the Holi an anthropomorphic look. (Images 2 and 3) After completing all the decorations, we thoroughly clean the area and draw a rangoli around Holika's representation. Some places in the Koliwada use instant noodle packets, chips, and snack packets for decoration. (Image 4) The idea behind this was to offer Holika mata the things that people regularly consume.
When all the preparations are complete, the family members change into festive clothes and get ready to celebrate. A woman from the Worlikar family first performs the pooja and aarti of Holika. In a ritual known as oti bharne, a woman offers an oti to the goddess, symbolizing the filling of her womb or lap. This ritual involves offering the goddess a saree, a blouse, bangles, a mangalsutra, uncooked rice, betel leaves, betel nuts, and coconut. The offerings differ according to the occasion; however, blouses, coconuts, bangles, halidi, kumkum, betel nuts, and rice are common offerings. The Kolis offered a festoon (veni) and bananas along with the other components in an oti to Holika. The Kolis place all the components in a yellow piece of cloth and tie it to the waist of the holi. This ritual is only performed by married women, as both the giver and receiver of an oti must be married. An oti is symbolic of positive wishes for fertility.
Indian celebrations and festivals are incomplete without sweets. During Holi, the goddess receives a special preparation of the Indian sweet flatbread, puran poli. In addition to puran poli, people offer and distribute boiled chickpeas (kabuli chane), lima beans, Indian butter beans (vaal), and watermelons as prasad. Holi also receives an offering of sakhar maal or batashe.
People treat Holika as a navsachi devi, a deity who grants people's wishes. The Kolis pray to Holika to fulfill their desires. During Kombad Holi, the Kolis offer a string of five coconuts to the goddess once their wishes and desires come true. People from across the Koliwada and abroad visit and seek blessings from Holika. There is an influx of people in the Worli Koliwada as several visitors explore the different kinds of decorations and seek blessings from the goddess.
Sound systems play Koligeets and Bollywood songs, to which the Kolis dance throughout the evening and night. Since it is illegal to use loud speakers in public after 10 p.m., the Kolis are expected to shut down the sound system around 10 p.m. The Mumbai police typically maintain vigil in the area during Holi to enforce this rule and prevent any disturbance.
The Worlikar family, like most other Kolis, has a tradition of lighting the Holi bonfire at 12 am. The Worlikar family clears most of the offerings from around the Holi, except for the coconuts, and places dried wood and camphor everywhere. To light the bonfire, tie a piece of cloth to a wooden log. Before starting the fire, a kaati (sickle) lightly strikes the tree trunk five times (paach ghaav maarne). A couple, holding hands, goes around the Holi five times while sprinkling water. The Kolis pray to the goddess to remove all the negativity and bad thoughts from their lives (ida pida talu de).
Elsewhere in the Koliwada, women carry decorated earthen pots on their heads from one point to another. While the Worlikar family does not follow this practice, most Koli women in Koliwadas across Mumbai do. Women light the Holi pyre, make five rounds around it, and then toss the pots into the bonfire.
The Holi rituals conclude once the fire ignites. The bonfire keeps burning for the next two to three hours, depending on the quantity of wood present. Purushottam Worikar says that they did not have the Holika dahan being celebrated at so many places in their Koliwada previously and that individuals and groups have started organising their own celebrations only recently.
Footnotes:
[1] Mumbaikar Folks by Mohit Ramle. रहाटाची ऐतिहासिक होळी/खार दांडा कोळीवाडा/Warin Pada/आमचे दाराशी हाय शिमगा/Historical Khar Danda Holi, YouTube Video
[2] Saregama Music, Aamche Darashi haay shimgha, YouTube Video.
Bibliography:
Purushottam Worlikar (resident of Worli Koliwada), in conversation with the author, March, 2024.
Unnati Worlikar (resident of Worli Koliwada), in conversation with the author, March, 2024.
Madhuri Yashwant Koli (resident of Worli Koliwada), in conversation with the author, March, 2024.
Vilas Anant Worlikar (resident of Worli Koliwada), in conversation with the author, March, 2024.
Ramle, Mohit. “रहाटाची ऐतिहासिक होळी/खार दांडा कोळीवाडा/Warin Pada/आमचे दाराशी हाय शिमगा/Historical Khar Danda Holi.” March 8, 2020. YouTube video, 6:15. https://youtu.be/FXslgS9sUCE?si=ub_-jpedNe9XfjEk
Nakhwa, Ramesh. “Amche Darashi Hai Shimga.” Saregama India, Ltd., August 2, 2022. YouTube video, 4:08. https://youtu.be/UZK6S9jQ1A0?si=pG4iDM3QPY2iO1-P