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After two years: Saffron-themed Lucknow Holi procession set for a grand comeback
However, elephants would be missing from the procession this year though camels and horse driven chariots would try to make up for their absence.
The participants in this year’s Holi procession in old city would move around wearing all-saffron dress and turbans. That’s because the colour theme of this year’s famous Holi procession in chowk is ‘kesaria (saffron)’.
However, elephants would be missing from the procession this year though camels and horse driven chariots would try to make up for their absence.
“All the participants will wear saffron dress and turbans. They will use saffron colored ‘gulal (dry color)’ to welcome each other. On Holi eve or ‘chhoti Holi’, the traders will celebrate by playing Holi with flowers while traders of Chowk Sarrafa Bazaar would play pink Holi with pink gulal,” said Riddhi Kishore Gaur, secretary of Chowk Holi Committee.
Due to Covid-19, only symbolic processions were taken out for last two years but this year, the procession will have around 30 camels, 50 horse driven chariots, 12 DJs, 12 bands. “The procession would be grander and bigger than the previous years and would be welcomed by Muslims at five places,” Gaur said.
Organisers said this year elephant rides would be missing from the Holi procession. “That’s because elephant owners have hiked the rates. That’s why people will have to remain satisfied with camel rides and horse driven chariots,” they added.
The Holi procession starts around 9 am from three different places and converges at the Chowk crossing from where it takes a round of whole area.
“Chowk Holi may not be as famous as that of Barsana or Mathura but our ‘Holi ki baraat – a procession that is taken out in Chowk area is most unique , in which Muslims and Hindus participate in equal numbers. That’s what makes it so special,” said Annu Mishra, president of Chowk Holi Procession Committee.
“We were missing the traditional dancing, that smearing of gulal, having thandai and pachmewa gujhia, poori ,khasta, kachauri of Chowk for the last two years. We missed horses, elephants and camels moving on the roads as part of the procession. This year, it is going to be back in all its glory. People will shower rose petals and flowers at the procession from both sides of road,” said Vinod Maheshwari, general secretary of the Holi Procession Committee.
“Nowhere in the world will you get to see Holi being played with such harmony, amity and togetherness,” he added. The Holi procession will be followed by ‘kavi sammelan’ at the Chowk crossing.
