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Pithora. Holi is the festival of colors tomorrow i.e. 25th March. Holika Dahan will be done tonight. On the occasion of Holi, Rang-Gulaal shops have been decorated at many places in the cities of Mahasamund. The residents of the region will celebrate this festival with great joy and enthusiasm, but there are some villages in Pithora block where neither Holi is played nor Holika Dahan is done. Read More – ‘Poisoned bread’ took life: 7 people of the same family became victims of food poisoning, 3 year old innocent died, 2 are fighting the battle of life.
These villages include Sahajpani, Sargunabhantha, Bamhanidwar, Gaurbahali, Paterapali, Banjibahal, Bagdwari, Kastura Bahal, Ghunchapali, Padkipali and Beltikari. Holi is not being played here for many years nor is Holika Dahan done. There is silence in the village on the day of Holi festival.
Villagers Surendra Pradhan, Sanjay Yadav, villagers of Sahajpani, a dependent village of Paterapali Gram Panchayat situated at the end of the block, told that since the time of their grandfather and great grandfather, Holi is not played nor Holika Dahan is done in their village. What is the reason behind this? No one is aware of this. Apart from Sahajpani, Holi is not played in Paterapali, Bamhaniduar, Gaurabhali, Sargunabantha of his own panchayat, whereas Holika Dahan is done and Holi is also played in Samdarha, the only village of his panchayat.
Villagers told that Gulal is used for puja in every house, which is applied as Tilak, but neither Holi is played nor Holika Dahan is done in the village. Villagers say that some incident must have happened on the day of Holika Dahan, about which even people of the 3rd generation are not aware. From this it can be estimated that Holi is not being played in the village for almost 150 years. Villagers said that if they go out for any work or go to another village, water cannons are thrown at them and gulal is also applied, but there is silence in the village on the day of Holi festival.
Similarly, villagers like Resham Lal Bariha, Lavattam Patel, Girdhari Patel, Laxman Patel etc. of Padkipali dependent village of Gram Panchayat Maldamal told that Holika Dahan is not being done in their village for the last three generations. When asked the reason behind this, he told that at one time Holika Dahan was done in the village, then half of the village was burnt on the day of Holika Dahan, since then it was said that Holika Dahan should not be done in the village. The villagers talked about the children playing with Rang Gulal in the village on the day of Holi. Apart from this, Holika Dahan is also not done in nearby villages like Ghunchapali, Bagdwari, Kasturabhal, Bagdwari, Beltikari, Charbhanta etc.
Holi of children studying outside the village fades away as soon as they go to the village.
Villagers say that many children of their village study outside the village by staying in hostels or rented houses. There is a holiday in the school hostel during Holi, in such a situation, children reach the village on Holi holiday even if they do not want to, but one or two days before Holi, they play Holi with great pomp in their school, hostel and after playing, they reach the village. . But here on the day of Holi, people are seen like any other day. Neither Gulal nor Pichkari is in anyone’s hand. Those studying outside the city greet each other on Holi in the village by shaking hands, but no one congratulates them by applying gulal. Although there is a ban on playing Holi in the village, the villagers who reach the village on Holi holiday definitely congratulate Holi through WhatsApp or by hugging. Holi remains dull for the students in the village.
Those who work outside do not come to the village on Holi.
The villager told that most of the people working outside the village do not go to the village on Holi, because Holi is not played in the village. They definitely reach the village during other festivals, but Holi is the only festival which is not celebrated in the village. Due to this, people doing private and government jobs outside do not come to the village on Holi festival.
Villagers here participate in Holika Dahan of other villages.
The villagers of Padkipali told that Holika Dahan is not done in the village, but Holika Dahan is done in their Panchayat Maldamal and nearby villages Rafael and other villages. People willing to walk in the embers eagerly join the Holika Dahan in other villages and walk in the embers.
