Hola Mohalla
Origins
In 1701, two years after founding the Khalsa, Guru Gobind Singh Ji established Hola Mohalla at Anandpur Sahib. While the rest of Punjab celebrated Holi with colours, Guru Gobind Singh Ji created an alternative celebration centred on martial readiness, physical training, and intellectual engagement. The word "Mohalla" comes from the Arabic word for "charge" — as in a military charge.
The Guru understood that a community facing persecution needed to be prepared to defend itself. Hola Mohalla was the training ground — mock battles, weapons demonstrations, and military strategy exercises were combined with poetry, music, and spiritual discourse.
The Nihang Singhs
The centrepiece of Hola Mohalla is the Nihang Singhs — the warrior order of Sikhi. Nihangs wear distinctive blue robes (chola), towering turbans adorned with steel quoits (chakrams) and miniature weapons, and carry an array of traditional arms. They are the living inheritors of the Khalsa martial tradition.
During Hola Mohalla, Nihang groups (dals) perform dramatic displays of gatka (Sikh martial arts), horse riding at full gallop, tent-pegging, and mock sword battles. The skill and fearlessness on display is genuine — these are not theatrical performances but demonstrations of living martial traditions passed down through centuries.
Beyond Martial Arts
Hola Mohalla is not all combat. Guru Gobind Singh Ji was himself a great poet, and the festival includes the Kavi Darbar — a poetry competition where poets recite verses in Punjabi, Braj Bhasha, and Persian. Kirtan and spiritual discourse run alongside the martial events. The festival represents the Sikh ideal of Miri-Piri: the balance between temporal (worldly) and spiritual authority.
Massive langars serve the hundreds of thousands of visitors over the three-day event. The Nihang dals prepare their own distinctive food — including a traditional drink called Sukhnidhaan (made with almonds, black pepper, and other ingredients).