From traditional bonfires to the joy of Chowtal singing – how one village keeps the spirit of Phagwah alive

By Devina Singh (Pepperpot Guest Contributor)

THROUGHOUT the year, Guyana’s multiethnic people celebrate many different occasions that transcend ethnicity and create a blended culture, and Phagwah (or Holi) is one such occasion. Known to some as the festival of colours and the triumph of good over evil and to others as the festival of spring, this holiday is deeply embedded in the cultural fabric of Canal Number One, a little village on the West Bank of Demerara.

There are many stories surrounding the origin of Phagwah. Chief among them is the story of Prahalada. Prahalada’s father, King Hiranyakashipu, believed himself to be a god and ordered his kingdom’s people to worship him and no one else. Prahalada vehemently disagreed. He continued to worship Lord Vishnu and encouraged others to do so as well. Enraged by his son’s disobedience, the king arranged to have him killed. However, his attempts failed! Wild elephants and snakes set to kill Prahalada all became tame in his presence. When dropped from impossible heights, Prahalada survived. The king then asked his sister, Holika, to sit in a burning pyre with Prahalada. Holika had a boon that protected her from being harmed by fire. With her holding Prahalada down, there was no way he could escape. But as the pyre was lit and Prahalada chanted Lord Vishnu’s name, Holika burned while Prahalada remained unharmed in a battle of good against evil. This is why Phagwah is also known as the triumph of good over evil.

The story of Prahalada and Holika lives on in an annual bonfire the night before Phagwah. Canal Number One has some of the grandest Phagwah bonfires, known as ‘Holikas’. Forty days before Phagwah, the ‘Holika’ is planted. “While known as the planting of Holika, it is actually a castor oil plant that is planted, which represents good—represents Prahalada,” Jeyaram Singh, a local farmer and devotee of the Vishvanauth Mandir, said. “A young boy must plant the castor oil plant and then fast for forty days, nurturing the plant. Over the forty days, we build a flammable wooden structure next to the plant. This represents ‘Holika’ or evil.”

The joy that Chowtal brings
During the forty days after the planting of Holika, up until Phagwah day, people in the village sing Chowtal. Chowtal is a form of folk song inherited from East Indian ancestors. Chowtal literally means ‘four taals’. Taal is an Indian musical metre, measured by clapping. The four taals are the chowtal proper, then ulura, then kabir (verses from the Ramayan sung in a special air), and then jogira. “The jogira is the spice of the Chowtal,” Jayaram said. “It’s like a rap—an Indian rap.” In Chowtal, two rows of singers face each other, with a drummer in the middle. Along with the clapping of hands, the singing is accompanied by the clapping of the jhal (or hand cymbals) and drumming from the dholak (drum).

Sugrim, a 91-year-old Canal resident, reminisces on his time as a young man during Phagwah. “Chowtal can only be sung once a year—during those forty days. Abee been Georgetown Chowtal Competition seven years. Seven consecutive years, our Canal Chowtal group won. The first time we went, we didn’t win because of dress code. But our drummer won best drummer. We had a big Chowtal group—about twelve singers—and we went everywhere. When people had jhandi, we sang Hanuman Chowtal. When people had Ramayan singing, we sang Ram and Krishna.”

Preparations for Phagwah
Speaking on the preparations, Jeyaram explained, “The night before Phagwah, we do Dharti Ma (Mother Earth) puja. We pray for Ma to bless the entire gaun (village). It is not an individual prayer; it is a community prayer. Canal is a farming community, and as farmers, we all pay respects to Mother Earth.” He continued, “This is why many people attend the burning of Holika. After the puja, the castor oil plant is removed from the structure, and the ‘Holika’ is lit. The next morning, residents would take ash from the Holika and smear it over their bodies before playing Phagwah, to show that evil has been burned and to celebrate a new beginning where good triumphs.”

After bathing and donning their white clothes, villagers make their way to the Mandir, where they have a puja. Afterwards, the Chowtal groups go from house to house (whoever had invited them) and sing Chowtal. The house hosting the singing shares sweetmeats or any kind of snacks with the entourage before they move on to the next house. “Sometimes we had so many invitations that we couldn’t finish all the houses in one day—we would have to go over the next day after to sing,” Sugrim said. “My eye water runs when I think about it—that no one sings Chowtal as much anymore.”

Preserving the Chowtal
Chowtal singing is not only a staple of Phagwah; it is also important to the culture of Canal, an art form that is dying out. Elders in Canal Number One wish for Chowtal to survive and be carried down by young people. During COVID-19, house-to-house Chowtal was no longer viable. While house-to-house Chowtal on Phagwah is dying out, many people still host Chowtal sessions during the forty days.

Modern celebrations
In recent years, a new celebration has emerged—Canal Number One’s very own Phagwah Mela. The Phagwah Mela is a community festival held at the very end of Canal Number One. The entire village is invited via a loudspeaker announcement. “The Mela started through the Canal PPP group,” said Georgieana George, a planner of the Phagwah Mela. “The idea was to bring people together, regardless of race, creed, or class. We went through with it because we saw the unity amongst our people.”

Preparations for the Mela are made possible through donations, the hard work of the Canal council, and collaboration with all of Canal Number One’s Mandirs. Seven curry, sweetmeats, and powder for playing Phagwah are all provided free of charge. The Mandirs usually participate with Chowtal and other singing, dancing, and skits. “Youth participation is always key to the Mela…it helps our youths gain experience and learn the culture, too,” she explained. “Over the years, the Mela has been growing. We started small, but eventually, each year, it gets bigger. This particular event brings the community together and even attracts others into our community to experience the unity that we build. I do hope in the future that we continue to make this event a success.”

When asked about Phagwah celebrations and the community in Canal Number One, Pandit Somnath of the Prayag Raj Mandir’s response was: “Vasudhaiva Kudumbakam”, a beautiful Sanskrit phrase that means “the whole world is one family.”