Mumbai: In Vida village of Maharashtra, many men have gone missing to escape a peculiar Holi tradition that involves making them sit on a donkey and participate in a procession.
In this village of the Beed district, a bizarre tradition is followed during Holi or ‘Dhoolwadi’. This tradition involves parading the sons-in-law of the village’s families on donkeys throughout the village. However, this year, around 200 sons-in-law have gone missing to avoid being part of the parade. To locate them, the village has a Son-in-law Research Committee that keeps a list of the participants, and two days before ‘Dhoolwadi’, the committee finds a son-in-law to take part in the parade.
What is This Tradition?
On the day of Dhoolwadi, a donkey is brought to the Gram Panchayat and adorned with a garland of shoes. The parade then starts and passes through the main road of the village while crossing the Hanuman temple, accompanied by the sounds of drums and music. Villagers collect donations and new clothes for the son-in-law, which are offered to him by prominent people of the village. He also receives presents from his father-in-law, such as gold rings.
Every year during the Holi festival, the sons-in-law in Vida village go missing instead of participating in the parade, despite the rewards and gifts they receive. The Son-in-law Research Committee is an excellent example of how the village is working to ensure the safety of their sons-in-law while still continuing their tradition. By finding willing participants for the parade, they are ensuring that the tradition can continue while also protecting the rights of individuals. Thus, the tradition is valued by the villagers as a way to preserve their cultural heritage, and it serves as an example of the diverse local customs observed during Holi across the country.
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