The Kumaon region is a division of the Indian Himalayan state of Uttarakhand, just west of Nepal’s Western border. This website contains a record of celebrations and traditions found in the region during the festival of Holi.

Holi is a festival of colour, springtime, and the triumph of good over evil. Different parts of the world observe different customs; in the Kumaon region, music is intrinsic to Holi celebrations. These musical traditions date as far back as the 15th Century CE.

There are broadly three forms of the Kumaoni musical tradition of Holi. These are Baithaki Holi (sung sitting down), Khadi Holi (sung while standing up and moving around) and Mahila Holi (sung by women only). See if you can spot these in the videos and images in the archive!