Holi festival commences from today in Mithilanchal

Jaleshwar (Mahottari), Feb 24: Holi, the festival of colours, formally commenced in Mithilanchal region from today with the participants of the 15-day Madhyamiki Parikrama pilgrimage playing Holi at local Kanchanban, Bhangaha Municipality-7 in Mahottari.

Baba Naval Kishore Das, participant of the fifteen-day Madhyamiki circuit pilgrimage, said that the Holi festival began today after performing the religious rituals in which Mithilavihari (God Ramchandra) plays Holi with Kishori Ji (Goddess Sita) in the presence of the holy people, sadhus and devotees at Kanchanban this morning, marking the beginning of the Holi festival across the entire Mithila region from today.

On the seventh day of the fifteen-day medium-level pilgrimage, at the residence in Kanchanavan, Lord Ramchandra and Mother Sita's palanquin and idol were ceremonially celebrated with colours and powdered colours as part of Holi. 

Thousands of sadhus, ascetics, and families participating in the pilgrimage, along with all the devotees, smeared colours and colour powder at each other, marking the beginning of the Holi festival, explained Baba Naval Kishore Das.

With this, the festival of Holi has formally started in the villages and households in Mithilanchal, the Holi revelers throwing coloured powder at each other in celebration.

Similarly, with the arrival of Holi, like every year, the tradition of singing Holi songs, dancing, sharing humour and satire, and performing satirical poetry and jokes has also commenced this year too, in the villages of Mithilanchal, said Pandit Dhirendra Jha of Jaleshwar Municipality–8.

The 15 days long Mithila Madhyamiki Parikrama pilgrimage commemorates the period of 14 years in which god Ramchandra with his consort goddess Sita and brother Laxman spend life in exile in the forest. It is believed that lord Ram and goddess Sita also played Holi on this very day during the exile.

The Madhyamiki Parikrama pilgrimage started from Kalaneshwar in India on February 17 and this procession journey along with the palanquins bearing images of Lord Ramchandra and Mata Sita will conclude after 15 days in Janakpur on March 3. (RSS)