Latest update December 23rd, 2024 3:40 AM

Guyana's largest selling daily and New York's most popular weekly

Latest News

Memories of a Guyanese Phagwah

Feb 27, 2010 Letters

Dear Editor,
Phagwah is being officially observed on Monday as a national holiday. I have fond memories about Phagwah while growing up in Guyana.  The mood was joyful and the festival was celebrated with much gusto, zeal and enthusiasm. People of varied ethnicities and religions displayed love and affection for one another in playful jollification.
The festival crossed ethnic boundaries with a theme of universal brotherhood with Christians and Muslims joining Hindus in the festivities. Colourful powder and water are showered on the people with the entire village or community merging into one big fraternity.
There was no distinction of creed, race, caste and sex. Celebrants were freed from social norms and taboos during this special occasion.
I remember as a teenager assisting the adults with the planting of (used to say juk) Holika (a pyre of dried branches of trees) amidst chanting of rituals some forty nights before its burning on the full moon around March.
During many of the ensuing forty nights, especially on weekends, members of the chowtal (folk singing) groups in each village took turn singing chowtals and taans (another form of folk singing) at each other’s home where delicacies and tea (or often rum) are served.
As Phagwah Day approached, phagwah mania is all over the place especially among the youth who accompany the adults on their nightly singing.
The youngsters would go for the soft beverages and delicacies. For the students, the festivity begins on the last school day before Phagwah with a prayer service and a cultural variety concert and distribution of mohanbhog and other snacks.  Then students would spray abeer or splash powder on each other. After school, students would throw each other in a drain as part of the fun.
After the burning of Holika, men sang folk songs accompanied by rhythmic beats of the indigenous dholak. The celebration commenced with the splashing of water mixed with ash (from the holika fire) on each other.
Then the chowtal groups would sing with the accompaniment of music for hours while consuming alcohol. The revelry and singing would continue throughout the night.
At the break of dawn, the men would slowly begin their rhythmic tempo through the main street of the village.
The group often stopped in people’s homes along the way and would be entertained with delicacies or beverages.  Celebrants would throw water that was often mixed with mud or cow dung, or abeer on each other.  Some of the celebrants would get thrown in ravines or trenches or canals as part of the fun.
By the mid morning, that part of the celebration ends and participants clean up and get ready for the evening celebration which is more sobering.
In the late afternoon, celebrants, dressed in clean white clothing, make their way through the village and or to neighbouring villages armed with a pitchkari or spray bottle with colourful abeer and talc powder “playing phagwah” with the whole village and beyond.  Almost every home would be visited. Faces were smeared with colourful abeer or abrack. People exchanged good wishes and sweets.
They danced to the rhythmic beats of the drums and sang Holi songs.  Hindus and non-Hindus, and visitors would partake in the delicacies (bara, gulgula, phulourie, bigany, mango chutney, potato ball, prasad, channa, ghoja,  sahena, kachourie, sweet rice, dhal puri and alou curry, among others prepared for the occasion.  Food was always plentiful and the youths would have a feast of the dainty dishes.
Also, on Phagwah Day, it is traditional for Hindus to distribute sweets or mitai and food to non-Hindus or those Hindus who could not celebrate Phagwah because of the recent death of a relative.
The youths had a splendid time running around playing Phagwah, watching adults play and dance to the music, and eating uncontrollably – all fond memories.
Vishnu Bisram

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | December, 2nd, 2024

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Renuka, Mandhana consign West Indies to record loss

Renuka, Mandhana consign West Indies to record loss

Dec 23, 2024

(Cricinfo) – After a T20I series that went to the decider, the first of three ODIs between India and West Indies was a thoroughly one-sided fare. The hosts dominated from start to finish...
Read More
GBA confirms additional bouts

GBA confirms additional bouts

Dec 23, 2024

Opinion: Barbados Cricket Faces Crossroads

Opinion: Barbados Cricket Faces Crossroads

Dec 23, 2024

KMTC Boxing Day Horse race meet turning out to be signature year-end event

KMTC Boxing Day Horse race meet turning out to be...

Dec 23, 2024

Candy Boss Invitational 8-A-Side Football Tournament kicks off Boxing Night

Candy Boss Invitational 8-A-Side Football...

Dec 23, 2024

Chase Academy squares off with St Benedict’s College ahead of today’s final

Chase Academy squares off with St Benedict’s...

Dec 22, 2024

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.

Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]