Hola Mohalla
This festival symbolises liberty, freedom, bravery and wisdom and of course, victory.
It reminds us of the tradition of meaningful festivity, and displays the valour inculcated in the Sikh community by Guru Gobind Singh, who took to armed struggle against tyranny. Hola Mohalla is an occasion for them to display their preparedness for war and exhibit their skills in martial arts. But one is not surprised to see a devotee zip past on a motorcycle or a scooter
Though the festival itself is a three-day affair, the movement of devotees carries on for a full week, and hundreds of families come in trucks from as far as Calcutta and Patna in the East, Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh, and Nanded in Maharashtra.
For the convenience of pilgrims, the local villagers set up langars (voluntary community kitchens) on all roads leading to Anandpur Sahib. Proper Punjabi food is served with utmost humility as pilgrims from all castes and walks of life sit together on the ground and eat.
The equality in langars was the idea of the third prophet, Guru Amar Das, who made it mandatory for the Sikhs to eat at the langar before seeing him. The same applied to then Mughal ruler, Emperor Akbar,. The community kitchen has since been called Guru ka langar.
Wherever you may be, celebrate valour and serve the valorous.