Social media affects shift in Holi celebration from home to resorts & other sites

PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun

The tradition of celebrating Holi at home and in neighbourhoods with family and friends is giving way to a new trend, with young adults and other age groups too increasingly choosing to mark the festival at resorts and designated venues. This shift is largely driven by social media influence and the youth’s desire to explore something new. Many young adults and others have expressed enthusiasm for resort-based Holi celebrations, citing the convenience of having music, food, colours and other amenities available in one location.

One of the hosts for such a Holi event Suraj Uniyal stated that young adults are eager to explore a variety of experiences, and this concept is reflected in the Holi festival celebrated at resorts and other locations. He said that this year in Dehradun, he is hosting one of the Holi events with entry starting at Rs 500. The primary goal of this event is to promote social gatherings while boosting local revenue, so that individuals from Dehradun do not travel outside the area for the celebration. He noted that about 1,000 persons have already purchased passes for the event.

Several other Holi event organisers at societies and other places expressed their excitement about hosting such gatherings and pointed out that over the years, the number of people participating in collective Holi celebrations at resorts and other locations has increased significantly.

Young adult Jai Narang shared that for the past two years, he has celebrated the Holi festival with friends and family at resorts. He said that rather than celebrating at home—where they would need to prepare food and manage other arrangements—they find it much more convenient to celebrate at resorts, where everything is available in one place. He also said that resorts provide an opportunity to meet new people while playing Holi, which enhances social interactions.

Some Doonites said that like resorts, they organise large-scale Holi events within their societies, allowing all residents to celebrate the festival together at a single location. Mona Bindra said that she and her friends lead the community efforts and plan a Holi event each year for all residents on the society campus. This initiative brings all members of the society together to celebrate the festival in harmony.