Bada Bhanjuja in Rajsamand Celebrates ‘Phooldol Festival’ Without Gulal for Centuries, While Nearby Bhiluda Marks Holi With Stone-Pelting RitualRajsamand: While the rest of India revels in clouds of colour and gulal on Dhulandi, a village in Rajasthan has upheld an extraordinary 800-year-old Holi tradition that defies the norm. In the Bada Bhanjuja village of Rajsamand, men do not play with colours at all. Instead, they dress as grooms and participate in a deeply symbolic cultural ritual.
This unique celebration, observed every Dhulandi, has become the identity of the village and draws thousands of visitors each year.
Men Dress as Grooms, No Colours Allowed
In Bada Bhanjuja, located in Rajasthan’s Rajsamand district, Holi unfolds in a dramatically different manner. For nearly eight centuries, villagers have abstained from applying colours or throwing gulal.
On Dhulandi, all men of the village assemble dressed in traditional groom attire, wearing dhoti, kurta and colourful turbans. The ritual centers around the Lakshmi Narayan Temple, where villagers gather in large numbers.
Instead of colours, participants perform traditional dances, exchange greetings, and embrace one another as part of what is locally known as the Phooldol Festival. The temple premises become the focal point of celebrations, filled with devotional energy rather than vibrant powders.
Thousands of devotees, tourists, and cultural enthusiasts travel from across Rajasthan and neighboring states to witness this rare and visually striking tradition.
Centuries-Old Custom Rooted in Faith and Unity
According to local elders, the tradition has been followed uninterrupted for around 800 years. Though the exact historical origin remains rooted in oral history, villagers believe the practice was established to honour temple traditions and maintain social harmony.
Despite the absence of colours, the festive spirit remains intense. The event is viewed not merely as a celebration but as a symbol of unity, brotherhood, and preservation of cultural heritage.
Residents assert that this distinctive observance strengthens community bonds and preserves ancestral customs in an era of rapidly changing celebrations.
Stone-Pelting Holi in Dungarpur’s Bhiluda Village
In contrast to the colour-free Holi of Bada Bhanjuja, another dramatic tradition was witnessed a day earlier in Bhiluda village of Dungarpur district.
In Bhiluda, Holi is marked not by colours but by stone-pelting rituals carried out between two groups. Amid drum beats and traditional Holi songs, villagers threw stones at each other as part of the age-old custom.
Reports indicate that 31 people were injured during the event, sustaining injuries to hands, legs, and heads. The injured were treated at the local hospital.
Villagers believe that if blood from the stone-pelting touches the ground, it ensures prosperity and protects the village from misfortune throughout the year.
Traditions That Defy Convention
These contrasting practices in Rajasthan highlight the diverse and deeply rooted customs associated with Holi across India. From groom processions without colours in Rajsamand to symbolic stone battles in Dungarpur, age-old beliefs continue to shape how communities interpret and celebrate the festival.
