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What is Hola Mohalla? What's history behind it? How it started? Sikh Stage's infographic about Hola Mohalla explains. Check out the infographic here - http://bit.ly/HolaMohallaInfographic

FROM THE SOPW INDIA TEAM CURRENTLY AT TAKHT SRI KESHGARH SAHIB ANANDPUR 'Hola Mohalla' is a festival started by Guru Gobind Singh in 1701, when he held a day of mock battles and military exercises followed by poetry and kirtan contests at Holgarh Fort.The Guru was in the midst of fighting both Aurangzeb and the Hill Rajputs having recently established the Khalsa Panth in April 1699. Today, Sikhs from all over the world celebrate by watching and partaking in martial arts parades. The event concludes with a long, military-style procession near Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib, one of the five seats of temporal authority of the Sikhs. Sikh Organisation For Prisoners Welfare (SOPW)

Holla Mohalla - a Sikh festival is celebrated every year in the month of March, a day after Holi. Hola "Mohalla" derives its name from Punjabi word “Mohalla” implies an organized Procession in the form of an army column accompanied by war drums and standard-bearers, and proceeding to a given location or moving in state from one Gurdwara to another. The festival was started by the tenth Sikh Guru – Guru Govind Singh who had tried to gather Sikhs for military exercises and mock battles after Holi. This has now become a traditional annual festival of Sikhs held at Anandpur Sahib and Kiratpur Sahib in Punjab. The festival also marks the New Year as per lunar Nanakshahi calendar of Sikhs. It is celebrated over three days and it retains the character of fun and joy of Holi which concludes a day before. Even today, Sikhs celebrate this festival joyfully by watching and performing in martial arts parades, led by the Nishan Sahibs of the Gurdwaras. Which is then, followed by poetry readings and music competitions. But viewing it closely might be risky for spectators as the participants who perform Holla Mohalla fight hard with one another even though they do not fight in reality. The celebration has been recognized as a National Festival by the Govt. of India and it is being celebrated in the state of Punjab since 1701. The Holy Duels of Hola Mohalla Holla Mohalla was first started on 1st March 1757 at Anandpur on Chet vadi. This custom was originated during the time of Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708) who held the first procession at Anandpur on Chet vadi. This was done to avert a grimmer struggle against imperial power following the battle of Ninnohgrah in 1700. Guru Sahib told his Sikhs wake up to their responsibility and duty as AKAAL PURAKH KI FAUJ (the Army of the Almighty) to defend the TRUTH and PROTECT society. Thus, the history of Holla Mollaha goes back to 1757 A.D. Since then, Holla Mohalla has become a full fledged event held particularly in an open field near Holgarh Fort which is located in the northwest to the town of Anandpur. It is also believed to be started by Guru Gobind Singh where he accumulated all the Sikhs and encouraged them to perform various activities including Martial Arts etc.