Chicago – April 16, 2025
Holi was celebrated like Eid in the Mughal era. It was called Eid- e- Gulabi (Pink Eid) or Aab-e-Pashi (shower of colorful flowers). Everyone joined in the fervor and splendor of celebrations that would take place on a massive scale in the Red Fort. Mughal Emperor Jalaluddin Akbar encouraged the ideals of plurality, inclusiveness and tolerance. During his reign, all festivals were celebrated with equal exuberance and the practice was continued by his successors, excluding the more orthodox Aurangzeb Alamgir. Bahadur Shah Zafar was another Mughal King who loved to celebrate Holi with the Hindu community.
It is said that during Holi celebrations, even the poorest among the community would throw color at the Emperor, and artists would mimic him but nobody would take offence. In fact, the Emperor would enjoy the entertainment with utmost zeal and enthusiasm.
All Mughal emperors celebrated religious festivals with zeal to promote inclusivity and harmony in the India. Yet the current emperors lack this spirit and are hell bent on dividing India instead of just taking everyone together.
