Dear Editor,
Phagwah or Holi was celebrated with much enthusiasm and gusto in the state of Uttar Pradesh from where many Indians migrated to Guyana to work as indentured labourers. However, I find the celebration in Guyana and among Guyanese in New York to be more enthusiastic than in the villages in India. The celebrations we have in Queens or in Guyana and Trinidad are much bigger and far more entertaining than in India. Also, the Indian celebrations don’t have the deep religious aspects attached to the festival as in Guyana. Nevertheless, I had a most wonderful Phagwah celebration with my ancestral relatives in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. I visited several Districts from whence Guyanese trace their ancestry including Ghazipur, Azamgarh, Mau, Ballia, Basti, etc. My ancestors are from Ghazipur, Mathura (where Lord Krishna was born), Azamgarh, Mau, and Gorakhpore, all of which are very close to the Holy city of Benares. I observed pyres everywhere and the burning of Holika just to take on the spectacular sight. There was a bonfire every few blocks. Each village had several pyres of woods and other incendiary materials forming mounds. The pyre and bonfire no different from those in Guyana. There were mounds of abeer and powder being sold everywhere and they are very cheap selling for US$2 per kilo. I purchased several kilos which I shared with families everywhere.
The celebration is very similar to Guyana in the villages in U.P. and Bihar where most Guyanese trace their roots. I was informed that the celebration has been changing becoming less traditional but communities have retained many of the customs and practices that were transplanted in Guyana and which Guyanese Hindus have retained over the last 175 years.
I was told Caribbean Hindus have retained more traditional aspects of Holi and Diwali than communities throughout India. But one can observe that for various festivals, people are still steeped in tradition as Hindus do in Guyana or in Trinidad or Surinam. And like in Guyana, people splashed colourful abeer and abrack accompanied with singing and dancing. Holi inculcates the desire of getting drenched with a splash of colours and that was very much in evidence over the last week everywhere throughout India. Singing, dancing and tassa drumming is everywhere. And like in Guyana, people get drenched with mud and cow dung water.
As in Guyana, Phagwah is very colourful, more colours than I have ever experienced and peoples’ faces are completely discoloured. Young boys went around drumming and dancing and collecting dhaan (donations) for the festival after which a big feast is held for the community. It is a tradition that is still practised in India and Guyana some 175 years after Indians migrated to Guyana.
For food, as in Guyana, families serve kheer, ghoja and pakora (bara, phulourie, etc.), dhal, bhat (rice), roti (including dhal puri which is popular in UP and Bihar in the areas where indentured labourers were recruited). Curried katahar (young Koah or sweet Katahar) is also popular as part of the dishes on this day. It is very expensive and only the well do offer it as part of a meal. It is different from the type of katahar we cook in Guyana but it is delicious and quite enjoyable.
Like, Guyana, Phagwah is celebrated over several days. The official holiday was Wednesday but the day before was also a semi-official holiday as is the day after with banks and offices closed. On Phagwah Day itself the country was at a virtual standstill. Even gas stations were closed. Only a few vegetable stalls were opened. All shops were closed except in the Muslim neighbourhoods that opened for business in the late afternoons. Many Muslim youths also joined Hindus in the celebration in the morning. And Hindus visited the homes of some Muslims and Christians to play “Phagwah” as we have done in Guyana for 175 years.
With regards to Guyanese celebrating the festival in India, one group of touring Guyanese celebrated the festival in the desert city of Jaipur while another group celebrated in the Madrassi city of Chennai; both groups were organized by Kali Travel, operated by former Essequibian Ramesh Kalicharran. Spokesperson for both groups said they also had a wonderful time like I did in U.P.
Yours faithfully,
Vishnu Bisram
