UP: ‘Devars’, ‘bhabhis’ smear each other with colours of love on Holi

Mathura: Twenty quintals of ‘tesu’ flowers and 50 quintals of ‘gulal’ of varied hues are stocked at Dauji temple in Baldeo region of Uttar Pradesh to celebrate a unique Holi played by ‘bhabhis’ and ‘devars’ — sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law.

In the celebration, womenfolk representing ‘bhabhis’ and “brothers-in-law” play what is locally called “Huranga”. The women lash the men with wet cotton cloth.

“This unique Holi will be played inside the Dauji temple on Thursday. Lord Krishna used to play this Holi with Revati (wife of Krishna’s brother Baldeo),” temple priest Govind Pandey told PTI.

“The men drench the women with tesu colour, while the women try to save their new clothes from getting spoiled. In the spirit of the festival, the women also tear the clothes of the men and use them as whips,” he said.

A man dressed up as Lord Krishna and another as his elder brother sit on a raised platform in the temple, and watch the celebrations unfold as the folk song ‘Aaj Biraj Me Holi Re Rasiya’ plays in the background.

Before ‘Huranga’ begins, devotional music is played before the deity for an hour to seek permission to carry on with the festival, the priest said.

“Twenty quintals of ‘tesu’ flowers, 50 quintals of ‘gulal’ (colour powder) of different hues, five quintals of alum, 10 quintals of lime and five quintals of saffron colour have been purchased,” Pandey said..

Twenty quintals of rose and marigold petals were also ordered.

District Magistrate Pulkit Khare said all security arrangements have been made for the day.

Police personnel will be posted in plainclothes to check hooliganism and any misbehaviour with women, he said.