One of the most vibrant and popular festivals of Assam is the Barpeta Doul Utsav. The words ‘Doul Utsav’ in Assam refer to the festival of Holi, which is also celebrated all over India during the spring season or “phagun”. The residents of Barpeta also refer to Doul as Deul in the common dialect. In Assam, Barpeta Doul Utsav is a lot more than a festival of colours. It is an emotion, a great source of happiness that brings all the people together in a common celebration. Marked by playful colour-throwing and spiritual gatherings, symbolising divine love and unity, the Barpeta Doul Utsav is one of the most vibrant and spiritually uplifting festivals of Assam. The air fills with devotional Holigeets sung by the devotees, beats of the khols, chanting, and the fragrance of abir or fakua. It’s less about chaos, more about the collective bhakti.
Barpeta is a town in the Barpeta district of Assam. Barpeta is famously called the ‘Satra Nagari’ of Assam. Satras are Vaishnavite cultural and religious centres, which were established from the 16th century onwards by Srimanta Shankardeva and his disciples with the common goal to preach “Eksarana Dharma”. In Lower Assam, Barpeta is one such place that has the presence of a large number of Satras established by Saint Srimanta Shankardeva and his disciples. Thus comes the term Satra Nagari, meaning the city of satras in Assam.
How to reach Barpeta from Guwahati?
There are two ways to reach Barpeta, one via the Howli road and the other via the Hajo-Doulashal road. When I used to stay in Barpeta, I used to commute via the Hajo-Doulashal road as I found it shorter and it was more accessible from my school, which is situated in Amingaon, and also you can avoid the toll gates. The city is around 90 km from Guwahati, and the driving time is approximately two hours. The nearest airport is Lokpriya Gopinath International Airport, Guwahati and the nearest railway station is Barpeta Road Railway Station and New Bongaigaon, which connect all major trains.
We all know the famous Holi celebration of Vrindavan. A similar multi-day Holi celebration also takes place in Barpeta on a massive scale. This celebration is not just playing with Fakuwa or Abir (colours with which Holi is played) and spending the festivities with loved ones.
The Holi celebration or Barpeta Doul Utsav blends vibrant rituals, traditional Holi songs, spiritual dance of Assam called Sattriya Nritya, devotional performances by the gayans-bayans, processions with the palanquins of Mahaprabhu Lord Krishna and His partner Ghunusa. The Barpeta Doul Utsav of Assam has been attracting lakhs of tourists from all over the country and abroad over the years due to its unique devotional and traditional charm.
A Brief History of Barpeta Doul Utsav
All the major events during the Barpeta Doul Utsav stays centered around the Barpeta Satra, also called the Barpeta Kirtanghar. It is said that at Barpeta, Mathura Das Bura Ata first celebrated Doul Utsav, trying to recreate the Doul festival as played in Vaikuntha Dham (Heaven), as it is a popular Hindu belief that Holi or Doul Utsav was first played in Heaven, a celestial celebration of love, happiness and joy. From that time onwards, Doul Utsav is celebrated at Barpeta with satriya parampara, which means maintaining the traditional rituals. This is also a major reason that Barpeta Satra is referred to as the second heaven or Dwitiya Baikuntha Puri.
During the Doul Utsav, ‘Holigeets’ are sung in every nook and corner of Barpeta. Some of the Holigeets were also composed by Srimanta Shankardev. These ‘Holigeets’ are basically devotional folk songs composed praising Lord Krishna and his playful and divine love for Radha. Almost every individual in Barpeta can sing dozens of such Holigeets; they are being taught since childhood. It’s like passing down a legacy for generations.
“Range phagu khele chaitanya banamali
Duhate phagur gunda sichanta murari.
Barpeta Doul Utsav, 2026
This year, Barpeta Doul Utsav is going to be celebrated at Kirtanghar for five days, starting from 2nd March to 7th March, as officially announced. Local holidays are also declared only for Barpeta town, along with official holidays for the Doul Utsav every year, and I am sure this year would also not be an exception. In Barpeta, there are two types of Doul Utsav. When celebrated for three days, it is called “Burha Doul”, and when celebrated for four to five days, it is called ‘Deka Doul’ (Burha means Old and Deka means Young in the Assamese language)
- During the three days of Doul Utsav, on the evening of the first day, Mahaprabhu Doul Gobindo and Kolia Gohain (Lord Krishna) are taken out of the manikut ghar to mathar chotal (courtyard) and then Mahaprabhu is given seven rounds near the meji (Bonfire). It is called “meji poua or magh poua”.
- The second day is called Bhar Doul, when naam-prasangas (devotional songs) are sung, ojapali and gayan-bayan performances are held.
- The third day is very important, it is called Phakua or Suweri. In the morning, Mahaprabhu is brought out from Jagmohan Ghar and placed in Kirtanghar. At noon, they are again taken out and placed in the courtyard when devotees play with holi colours or phakua and immerse themselves in singing Holigeets with fervour. Then, Mahaprabhu and Kolia Gohain are seated in beautiful palanquins or dolas and taken for a jatra or procession to Kanariya satra by the devotees.
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The huge gathering of devotees on the final day of Barpeta Doul Utsav
- After the return of Mahaprabhu from Kanariya Satra to Barpeta, he was not permitted to enter by Goddess Lakshmi, as he was returning after spending his days in the house of Gunocha. The gates are blocked with Bamboos which symbolises Lakshmi’s anger. The devotees than splits in two groups and eventually break all four bamboos, and Mahaprahu walks around Kirtanghar seven times. These seven rounds symbolise the seven days that Lord Krishna stayed with Gunocha and finally returned to Lakshmi. As a fine for the defeat by Lakshmi, Lord Krishna pays her Rs 300 and enters Kirtanghar, and this brings an end to all the Doul Celebrations in Barpeta.
On the last day, the whole Barpeta town and a lot of devotees from neighbouring towns and villages gather at the compound of Kirtanghar to witness the seven times walk of Mahaprabhu and Kolia Gohain in the palanquins. While groups of young boys, men and women can be seen playing with colours or painting with phakua, painting the whole atmosphere in bright colours. It’s a different vibe altogether, and it simply cannot be described in words unless you witness it with your own eyes and senses.
My experience at Barpeta Doul Utsav during the years 2021 and 2022
I consider myself to be fortunate enough to experience Barpeta Doul Utsav for two consecutive years. Before that, I didn’t have the slightest imagination of what this festival or the deep cultural and traditional significance it holds for the people of Barpeta. It was in August 2020 when my husband and I started staying in a rented house in Barpeta, as he had just been promoted and transferred there as a Branch Manager.
Our landlord and landlady are very warm and welcoming people, and when they came to know we love travelling and have a great interest in learning about the culture and traditions of Barpeta, they informed us about the famous Barpeta Doul Mahotsav and insisted that we have to attend it at least once. But it was that time of the year when the whole world was gripped by the deadly COVID-19 pandemic. Then in 2021, the Holi festival was celebrated, but with a lot of restrictions and on a low note. Thus, we got lucky to attend the festival.
Almost every day, we paid a visit to Kirtanghar to witness the various rituals of Doul Utsav. A huge crowd of devotees gather mostly in the evening. A large-scale fair or mela is also arranged along with various food stalls to enjoy the festivities. Of all street-side snacks that are sold, the most popular one is — Ronga Dima! That bright red fried boiled egg is almost symbolic of the festival itself. Missing it would indeed feel like missing a signature chapter of the Doul experience. Handmade artefacts, apparel, and home decor items are also sold in the stalls.
YOU MAY ALSO READ- HOLI, One of the most beautiful festivals of Incredible India
The next year, in 2022, although we shifted back from Barpeta to Guwahati as my husband got transferred again, we made it a point to return in 2022 to witness the final day rituals. The estival had indeed become a part of our hearts. This year, try to visit and enjoy the spectacular moments of the Holi Festival of Barpeta in Assam.
The celebration is also a declaration of the end of winter and the onset of spring in Assam, which fills the air with happiness, spiritual upliftment, positivity and prosperity. Festivals are not just events but lived experiences that connect us to people, place, and tradition.
In another post, I shall write about all the satras, which are treasure houses of Assam’s spiritual and cultural heritage. We visited them when we used to stay in Barpeta. Hope you liked the post, and do share this post with your loved ones.
Resources- To write this blog, I took the help of this website.
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