Introduction to Sikhs and Hola Mahalla

In this video, Sikhs and the festival of Hola Mahalla are explored.

The interview took place during Hola Mahalla, and is an extract from a longer documentary called 'Hola Mahalla: The Forgotten Festival'. 

The festival Hola Mahalla is celebrated by the Sikh community annually during the lunar month of Chett, which falls in March or April, depending on the lunar calendar. It's a tradition started by the Tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, around 1700 AD.  

More videos about the festival can be seen on this YouTube Playlist.

View the online exhibition about Hola Mahalla here.

Other videos about the Sikh Punjabi diaspora.

Saint Soldier

In this video, Baba Nihal Singh, Jathedar (High Priest) of Tarna Dal, Harianvela, shares his thoughts on the importance of being a Saint Soldier.

The interview took place during Hola Mahalla, and is an extract from a longer documentary called 'Hola Mahalla: The Forgotten Festival'. 

The festival Hola Mahalla is celebrated by the Sikh community annually during the lunar month of Chett, which falls in March or April, depending on the lunar calendar. It's a tradition started by the Tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, around 1700 AD.  

More videos about the festival can be seen on this YouTube Playlist.

View the online exhibition about Hola Mahalla here.

Other videos about the Sikh Punjabi diaspora.

What is Hola Mohalla?

In this video, the late Gianni Tarlochan Singh, former Jathedar of Takht Kesgarh Sahib, Anandpur, India and Baba Nihal Singh, Harian Belan, share their thoughts on Hola Mahalla. 

Baba Nihal Singh shared that the festival held such importance in the Sikh calendar that:

"if a Nihang Singh does not attend Hola Mahalla, he is presumed to have merged with God (died). Meaning that every Sikh, regardless of where they lived, tried their utmost to attend Hola Mahalla".

Baba Nihal Singh Jathedar (High Priest) of Tarna Dal, Harianvela.

The interview took place during Hola Mahalla, and is an extract from a longer documentary called 'Hola Mahalla: The Forgotten Festival'. 

The festival Hola Mahalla is celebrated by the Sikh community annually during the lunar month of Chett, which falls in March or April, depending on the lunar calendar. It's a tradition started by the Tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, around 1700 AD.  

More videos about the festival can be seen on this YouTube Playlist.

View the online exhibition about Hola Mahalla here.

Other videos about the Sikh Punjabi.

It's a knockout

Despite one being over 500-years-old and one being just a few decades old, Sikhi and MMA is about as natural a relationship as Sikhi and meditation or Sikhi and charity work.

From the time Guru Angad Dev Ji Maharaj implemented wrestling practice into the daily community routine, to when Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji Maharaj had Sikhs learn shastar vidya (weaponry use/teachings), learning a mix of martial-arts was clearly advocated by the Sikh Gurus Themselves.

Fast forward centuries and Mixed Martial-Arts (MMA) is today one of the most popular sports in the world, platforming real modern day warriors that compete as fiercely and with as much heart as any of history’s gladiators. But where are the Sikhs on this platform?

Enter Lions MMA. Since the early 2000s Lions MMA have been setting up gyms across the UK to train people in Mixed Martial-Arts within a Sikh ethos. With over a dozen clubs across the country, Lions MMA are slowly creating an army of warriors with an attachment to the Sikh philosophy.

Discipline, focus, courage, humility…martial-arts is a path towards a multitude of characteristics necessary for the Sikh path. To be Sikh is to mould yourself into a Sant-Sipahi (Saint-Soldier), mandating that Sikhs recognise the saintly qualities obtainable through martial training.

This is the role Lions MMA is playing for Sikhs and many others. And this is a glimpse into the world of Lions MMA…

Words: Jasveer Singh

Twitter: @JazzTheJourno

'Reflection' - Baba Nihal Singh

Baba Nihal Singh - Harian Belan reflects on traditions fading from the Sikh diaspora.

This video is part of a series of documentaries exploring the festival of Hola Mahalla or Hola Mohalla.