About 50 kilometers from Udaipur in Rajasthan, you'll find Menar village celebrating Holi in a style quite unique. With a tradition spanning 400 years, residents still carry on the custom of playing 'Gunpowder Holi' on the day after Holi. In traditional attire, the whole village assembles at the common ground and partakes in this explosive celebration well into the night.
This vivid celebration captivates audiences, appearing more like Diwali, the festival of lights, than Holi. Villagers not only burst crackers but also fire guns into the air, one after another, creating a spectacular show of bravado. This gathering welcomes people from all corners of the globe, where anyone originally from Menar makes it a point to return home.
Video Footage Unveiled
The 'Gunpowder Holi' attracts a multitude of spectators. Everyone in the village prepares with great enthusiasm. Villagers face each other, firing guns into the air in a display of joy and community spirit.
Villagers Share Their Take on the Tradition
Locals believe that during the era of Mughal invasions, ancestors of the Menaria Brahmin community played a strategic role in battles to defend the Mewar Kingdom. Today's gunshots and fireworks display commemorate that historical bravery.
Source: aajtak
Onlooker Gaurav Jain remarks that the day brings a unique celebration with flamboyant sword dances. To witness this extraordinary Holi, not just the villagers but also people from neighboring villages and visitors from afar gather. Echoing gunshots and cannon fire complement the explosion of colors, with millions of rupees in fireworks set alight. The villagers believe that the grace of Mother Ambe has shielded this tradition from any mishaps through the years.
