Great tradition of
Hola Mohalla
I was imagining the great tradition of Hola Mohalla
started by
Guru Gobind Singhjee at Anandpur Sahib some three
hundred years ago.
On this occasion, every year, the Great Guru organized
military war
games to instill a fearless spirit and complete the
image of his followers
as true saint-soldiers who would be ready to sacrifice
their all to honor and defend the inalienable human
rights and
dignity of fellow beings against tyranny and injustice
and uphold
the sacred cause of equality, justice, conscience,
and national
freedom.
We can only imagine the thousands who must have gathered
for the
occasion at the invitation of the Great Guru for the
exciting
Holla Mohalla at Anandpur Sahib in the foothills of
Shivalik
Mountains to participate in these contests that tested
their
mastery and courage in the use of weapons.
We can imagine the Great Guru must have himself leading
and
inspiring the gathered warriors to further sharpen
their skills
as they competed with the best swordsmen, archers,
marksmen,
riders, foot-soldiers, and others who attended such
gatherings.
The Holla Mohalla tradition must have been like reviving
and reliving
the spirit of ancient and medieval such contests at
other times and
other places to discover the best among the greatest
and train others
to be best for not just the meet the critical chllanges
of Guru's times
but to imprint a lasting spirit and commitment to
step forward and be
counted at other times, events, and struggles yet
to unfold. The great
tradition of Holla Mohalla continues to this day at
Anandpur Sahib.
We can only imagine the thousands from the farthest
corners of India
of every caste, culture, faith, and tradition who
must have thronged
at Sri Anandpur Sahib for the occasion each year.
We can also imagine the fun, festivities, and colorful
celebrations
that must have taken place surrounding such gatherings.
We cannot fathom the unbounded joy and honor of the
awards and rewards,
approvals and accolades, and being "knighted"
at the sacred court and
by the hands of Nasro Munsoor, the Tenth Sikh Spiritual
King,
Guru Gobind Singh.
It must have been an awe-inspiring sight and sound
spectacle to behold
and a transforming experience to be in the majestic
presence of the
Great Guru and return from such glorious events to
their home
communities.
Can you hear the resounding "jakaras" that
must have rended the sky as
the dare-devil and courageous warriors showed their
prowess in the use
of different weapons and Sikh horsemen in full battle
regalia rushing
across the mock "battle theatre" at the
speed of lightening shook the
ground? I feel blessed at the very thought of this
flight of my
imagination.
I hope that you can include the above as a lead into
the poem-essay if
you are able to post the poem on NRIinternet. The
timing is incredible
since Holla Mohalla often falls around this time.
With kind regards,
Kanwal Prakash "KP" Singh
Indianapolis, Indiana USA
www.KPSinghDesigns.com
