![]() The foothills of the Shivaliks in Ropar district of Punjab's north-eastern region, especially around the historic townships of Anandpur Sahib and Kiratpur Sahib, have, since 1701 been playing host to Hola Mohalla. The custom originated in the time of Guru Gobind Singh who held the first such mock fight event at Anandpur in February 1701. During this festival, processions are organised in the form of army type columns accompanied by war-drums and standard-bearers and proceeding to a given spot or moving in state from one gurdwara to another. Together the words "Hola Mohalla" stands for "mock fight". ![]() But unlike Holi, when people playfully sprinkle colored powder, dry or mixed in water, on each other, the Guru made Hola Mohalla an occasion for the Sikhs to demonstrate their martial skills in simulated battles. The word "Mohalla" is derived from the Arabic root hal (alighting, descending) and is a Punjabi word that implies an organized procession in the form of an army column. This, by a tradition established by Guru Gobind Singh, follows the Hindu festival of Holi by one day Hola is the masculine form of the feminine sounding Holi. Hola Mohalla or Hola Mahalla or simply Hola is a Sikh festival that takes place on the first of the lunar month of Chet which usually falls in March. In 2009, Hola Mahalla falls on 11 Mar in 2010 on 1 Mar in 2011 on 20 Mar.Holla Mohalla festival, Photo:Reuters/Kamal Kishore
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