Patna. Holi of Bihar has a different identity. Rangotsav Holi is celebrated in different ways in many areas. In such a situation, a day after Holi in Bihar, there is a unique tradition of celebrating ‘Buddha Holi’. Budhwa Holi is celebrated a day after the Holi festival. On this day also people immersed in the fun of Holi go to each other’s house and sing Phagua (Song of Falgun). Budhwa Holi is a special feature of Magadha division in Bihar. The custom of celebrating old age Holi in Aurangabad, Gaya, Jehanabad, Nawada, Arwal etc. districts is old.
There is no evidence of when and how the tradition of celebrating old age Holi started, but it is believed that on the day of Holi, many houses worship God (Kuladevata), due to which people recognized Budhwa Holi. Even on this day people are completely immersed in abir-gulal.
On the day of Budhwa Holi, a jhumta (dance of women) takes place in the village, while the group of men comes out separately and the whole village is immersed in the color of the fog. On this day Holi begins with a religious place in the village.
In the afternoon, people gather at the religious place and again the festival of Holi starts. From there people go door-to-door in the form of a group and are welcomed with sweet dishes and cannabis. During this, the phagua keeps resonating on the drums and strings. In many areas a group of four or five villages gather together.
Some people also associate it with the summons of the elderly. People say that this is the only festival in which the names of old people are mentioned. In this Holi, old people also join the congregation with full enthusiasm.
Prabodh Prasad, a resident of Gaya, says that old age Holi is celebrated in almost all the villages and cities of Magadha, but this Holi has its own specialty in Gaya. He believes that now some wrong tradition is also being seen in this Holi, due to which civilized people are getting away from it. He told that Holi festival ends with Budhwa Holi.
—AnyTV News
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