In this village of Rajasthan, men are prohibited from playing Holi due to a 500-year-old tradition

In the village of Nagar in Rajasthan, men are prohibited from playing Holi and must vacate the village so that women can celebrate without restrictions. This tradition, which is 500 years old, is strictly adhered to.

Throughout India, Holi, the festival of colours, is celebrated with great zeal. However, in the village of Nagar (located in Tonk district of Rajasthan), there is a strict prohibition on men participating in Holi festivities. They have to depart from the village, permitting women to assume control of the festivities, in accordance with a 500-year-old custom.

According to locals, this tradition originated from the purdah system, which limited women’s visibility in public. Men left voluntarily so that women could celebrate Holi freely, as women would not come out in the presence of men. This age-old practice persists to this day.

No man remains in the village on Holi, starting with boys over the age of five. The rule is adhered to even by elderly men.

On Holi morning, around 10 am, men depart from their homes to make their way to the Chamunda Mata temple located on the village’s outskirts. They dedicate almost five hours to participating in a fair and hearing devotional songs. At this time, the village is entirely in the hands of women.

It is not only forbidden for men to partake in Holi festivities; they are also prohibited from observing women as they celebrate. In the past, any man found in the village during Holi would be beaten. Even today, a man who breaks the rule can be asked to leave the village permanently. 

Women take control of the festival in the absence of men. With great enthusiasm, they play Holi by dancing freely and throwing colors. Some even don men’s attire to enhance the amusement. This is the only day they can celebrate without societal restrictions.

Although men do not participate in the main Holi festivities, the following day compensates for this. Men and women come together to celebrate Holi, putting gulal on one another. A distinctive aspect of this festivity is that women, in a playful manner, whip men with whips to signify the festival’s conclusion.

Nagar village’s Holi, which is one of the most captivating in Rajasthan, remains strictly governed by this 500-year-old tradition.