India is a land of never-ending festivities all year round. One of the primary reasons for that is because the nation’s populace has never been a monolithic demographic but rather, an amalgamation of diversity, both geographically and culturally. And where there is diversity, there are several truths. The history of rituals, celebrations, and festivities in India defies a linear narrative, as it is replete with a multitude of origin stories, each intertwined with legends and myths. The multiplicity of origin narratives not only underscores the complexity of Indian culture but also reveals the nation's ability to absorb and integrate various beliefs and practices over millennia. These rituals and celebrations, far from being static, continue to evolve, adapting to changing times while preserving their intrinsic connection to India's mythic past, making them a fascinating subject of artistic and academic exploration.
Today, we explore a beautiful art series by Kolkata-based multi-disciplinary artist, Soumyadeep Roy, who reimagines the colorful festival of Holi in the erstwhile princely state of Oudh in 1792. This was an interesting time in Indian history as there was a cross-cultural curiosity on the part of both the Britishers and the Indians towards each other, which led to meaningful interactions. This was prior to the Evangelical movement in the 1830s, which had brought about a dogmatic version of Protestantism, which made them intolerant of other religions. Also, in the 1700s, there was a form of mutual respect between the Britishers and Indians, as their relationship was not as hierarchical as it would turn out to be in the later years. However, the mutual respect continued to wane in the years to come and completely disappeared after the Revolt of 1857.
This art series by Soumyadeep seamlessly intermingles fact and fiction, a narrative style often employed by him. A concoction of fact and fiction also echoes India’s oral history and the tapestry of narratives, both real and collectively imagined, that makes up the story of our nation. After putting considerable thought behind it, Soumyadeep decided his choice of the narrator. The story flows from the point of view of an English woman, a member of the landed gentry residing in India and she writes a letter to her sister, Anne, who is presumably staying in London, or its periphery. Soumyadeep choosing this English woman as his fictional mouthpiece is also a nod to historiography and the contributions made to the field by women writers. During that time, European women writers were traveling the Indian subcontinent extensively, taking down meticulous notes and many of them would paint their impressions of the country, earning them the title of “amateur painters” in the years to come. This was a time following the Age of Enlightenment and thus, there was this intrinsic curiosity to know the culture of the “other”.
Soumyadeep consciously chose letters as his artistic medium as during that time thousands of letters were being sent back to England. During his research, Soumyadeep notes that the letters had a performative aspect to them. For example, when the renowned English artist and writer, Colesworthey Grant was writing back home to his mother or sister, his letters would have intricate illustrations depicting scenes from India and it was almost certain that he knew that other than its obvious purpose of conveying news, those letters were more than that and would serve as a knowledge bank for posterity. The way Soumyadeep envisions the time; it was not just individuals writing letters to one another but rather a city writing a letter to another city.
In the art series, the characters the English woman interacts with and the varied answers they give to the question of Holi’s origin are rooted in the diverse micro-histories surrounding the festival. The interaction with Fatema, the gardener’s daughter, is a tribute to the famous English lawyer, William Hickey, largely known for his expansive Memoirs, which portray an extraordinarily evocative picture of life in late 18th-century London, Calcutta, Madras and Jamaica. Hickey had married a woman called Fatema and that piece of history inspired Soumadeep’s choice of character creation. An interesting phenomenon can be observed from this interaction with Fatema and her grandfather.
The mythical becomes a part of European historiography of India. The legend goes that Lord Shiva consumed a deadly poison during the churning of the ocean to save the world. The poison turned his throat blue, giving him the name Neelkanth (the one with a blue throat). In commemoration of this event, people apply blue colors to idols of Lord Shiva during Holi. Also, the Managniyar community, a Muslim community from Rajasthan, has a local song about Lord Shiva or Mahadev playing Holi himself.
The art series moves forward with Brinda evoking the popular association of Holi with the Yamuna River and the divine love story of Radha and Krishna, particularly in the Braj region of northern India, which is believed to be the birthplace of Lord Krishna. The festival mirrors the playful antics of Lord Krishna, who, along with his beloved Radha, smeared each other and the gopis (milkmaids) with colored powders by the banks of the Yamuna River in the idyllic setting of Vrindavan. This playful tradition is believed to be the precursor to the modern-day practice of throwing colored powders and water during Holi.
Moving forward, Soumyadeep was consciously vague about evoking Lord Buddha and the Jain Tirthankara or Mahavira as a motif because Buddha playing Holi has been a subject of historical debate. While some texts narrate that Buddha discouraged the playing of Holi, there are some texts that mention him participating in the festival of colors. Hence, Soumyadeep employs the use of the word 'knowledge-seekers' without explicitly mentioning Buddha, using the character of Godbole. Although Lord Buddha was never in favor of meaningless rituals, it is probable that he did not discard all the facets of the Holi celebrations.
Now we arrive at the 12th and 13th centuries, the period when the great Sufi singer, Amīr Khusrau lived. He had composed several songs about Holi and they were performed in the Dargah of Nizamuddin Auliyaon, the 13 Century Sufi saint of the Chisti order, on the auspicious occasion of Basant Panchami in Delhi. Zohra is a contemporary character living in the 1790s, singing the songs of Khusrau, which she learned from the guru-shisya parampara (teacher-student tradition). These songs are perfect examples of rich cultural histories passed down through generations.
As we continue to traverse through timelines, we skip six centuries to Muḥammad Shah Rangila’s court, the first major Mughal emperor after Aurangzeb. During the 1720s, Md. Shah Rangila was still setting up his court and the rich Hindustani classical music tradition of Khayal was resurfacing. New songs were being composed. The khayal songs we get to hear even today in Indian classical concerts can be retraced back to Md. Shah Rangila’s court. The emperor also brought back renowned painters who weaved an oeuvre distinct to the time period.
Md. Shah Rangil’as court, which was such a culturally active place, was renowned for its Holi celebrations. Since Holi was such a major part of the Mughal courts, Soumyadeep conjured up the character of Sadiq and his father, who might have worked as a khansama (male cook) in these classical courts. Now, by 1792, the Mughal patronage had dwindled and so characters like Sadiq came to serve in European households. Sadiq is one of those few people who had witnessed the grandiose celebrations of Holi in the Mughal court. His recollections of the festivities are dipped in nostalgia, stemming from oral stories and his childhood memories.
Soumyadeep’s series ends on a beautiful note. The English woman realizes the futility of trying to pinpoint the history of Holi. There is no one right answer. The only conclusion she draws is to experience it herself and embrace the festival in all its colorful glory.
Find out more about Soumyadeep Roy and his works here.
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