For the first time in history, a pseudo Holi Ban ensured no Abir colored the air of Visva Bharati’s Basanta Utsav. The world witnessed the unique Madan Utsav, which demarcates the Holi celebrations at the iconic Visva Bharati University and Shantiniketan. However, this year’s celebrations did not demarcate the beginning of Falgun, and the public celebrations in the surrounding Sonajhuri forest are facing severe restrictions.
Shantiniketan’s Visva Bharati University authorities cite its newly acquired UNESCO heritage status as the cause for blocking visitors and banning Abir or Holi colors.
Meanwhile, the forest department claims ecological concerns to ‘encourage’. However, allegations of political appeasement are swirling, terming the move as a Holi ban – it’s a flashpoint in Bengal’s charged atmosphere.
Visva Bharati’s Sort-Of Holi Ban Stance: UNESCO Over Culture?
A spokesperson from Visva Bharati University justified the campus closure and somewhat Holi ban, stating, “We are not opening the varsity campus for Basanto Utsav because of the UNESCO World Heritage status” He felt that opening it up for all would mean accommodating more than 5,00,000 people within the ashrama. Visva Bharati claims to be unable to manage the crowds in terms of infrastructure and logistics.
However, the decision has sparked outrage among devotees of Rabindranath Tagore’s legacy.
Many see the move as a direct assault on the cultural essence of Santiniketan and Bengal’s unique Dol Yatra. The university’s iconic Basanto Utsav – a Holi celebration intertwined with Tagore’s philosophy – was already halted in 2019 due to a ruckus created by outsiders! However, the latest Holi ban in the surrounding Shantiniketan’s Sonajhuri Haat has sealed the fate of the festivities entirely.
Holi Ban – Forest Department Cites “Ecological Concerns”
This is the real ‘ Aurangzebi mindset’ of Mamata Banerjee!
Mamata Banerjee banned Holi in Shantiniketan to aid Ramzan & Friday prayers.
Mamata Banerjee is acting like a Begum.
Santiniketan Basanta Utsav in Sonajhuri Haat in Shantiniketan is a revered celebration where… pic.twitter.com/mMmOVvBWtF
— Pradeep Bhandari(प्रदीप भंडारी)🇮🇳 (@pradip103) March 13, 2025
The District Forest Officer (DFO) issued restrictions that read like a Holi Ban in Sonajhuri’s forested area. The official reason? Environmental impact. He stated that they want to avert the gathering of thousands of people during Holi in an area where there is a green cover. He justifies it by saying that the sprinkling of colored water may cause irreparable damage to trees.
The DFO wants Hindus to take the pledge to save Sonajhuri from any ecological damage due to Holi colors on 14th March!
Unimagined things happening.
Holi banned in Shantiniketan in the garb of protecting green cover
Appeasement politics at its peak! pic.twitter.com/qE2eHEtOsq— Maj Rakesh, Shaurya Chakra,(Kargil War Veteran) (@gorockgo_100) March 13, 2025
However, many are questioning why these concerns have surfaced now. Sonajhuri Haat—where crowds gather every week for the local market—has never faced such restrictions. Critics argue that the sudden environmental consciousness conveniently aligns with the government’s Muslim appeasement agenda.
Political Firestorm: Holi Ban or Friday Factor?
Bengal LoP Suvendu Adhikari slams police for restricting Holi celebration in Birbhum's Shantiniketan.
"The IG of 24 Parganas warned the people to not play Holi or they could be arrested.
Additional SP of Birbhum has asked to end celebrations by 10 AM." pic.twitter.com/OqXb0Tl3xH
— News Arena India (@NewsArenaIndia) March 13, 2025
The Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari did not mince words. He alleges that the restrictions are not about UNESCO or the environment. Instead, he says it is a veiled attempt to curb Hindu festivities due to “political pressure” of the “peaceful” kind!
The anti-Holi attitude is part of vote-bank politics.
And this year’s Holi coincides with a Ramadan Jumma Namaz may be a primary cause of the pseudo Holi Ban in Shantiniketan!
Suvendu Adhikari revealed that special police meetings were held across Bengal, allegedly instructing officers to control Holi celebrations due to its overlap with “a special month for another community.” He claimed, “This is happening in Bengal for the first time… Mamata Banerjee’s police administration is doing politics of appeasement. The Birbhum Additional SP has instructed that Holi celebrations in Santiniketan must wrap up by 10 AM because it is a Friday.”
The Bigger Picture: A Pattern of Selective Crackdowns?
This somewhat there but no there kind of Holi Ban move isn’t happening in isolation. It follows a disturbing pattern of selective crackdowns on Hindu festivals when the “peaceful” community declares victimhood! “Peaceful” religious processions receive full administrative cooperation. However, for Holi Ban, the questions loom large:
- If Holi can damage Sonajhuri’s trees, why did the colored water or powder of Dol Yatra not damage the forest earlier?
- If infrastructure limitations are the issue for Visva Bharati, why were public events allowed before 2019?
- Is this really about conservation, or is it about political correctness and vote-bank considerations?
With TMC’s West Bengal already on edge due to repeated accusations of discrimination against Hindus, this latest move adds fuel to the fire. As Visva Bharati shuts its doors on Dol Yatra, Santiniketan, and its surrounding areas fall eerily silent. Hence, one must ask – is this truly about heritage and environment? Or is this pseudo-Holi Ban another chapter in the state’s politics of anti-Hindu policies?