Holika Dahan 2021 in Lucknow's Qaisarbagh and Aminabad, on the night of Shab-e-Barat
In 2021 two festivals fell on the same night in Lucknow: Holika Dahan, the bonfire on the eve of Holi, and Shab-e-Barat, when many Muslims pray through the night and visit the graves of their ancestors. VoxyTalksy went to the old city to see how Qaisarbagh and Aminabad marked the evening.
What the video shows
The video was uploaded on March 28, 2021, the day of Holika Dahan that year, with Holi played on March 29, 2021. The reporter begins at the Qaisarbagh crossing and describes Lucknow as a city often cited for communal harmony, noting that while bonfires are lit for Holika, families elsewhere in the city are reading fateha at graveyards and imambaras for Shab-e-Barat. He mentions that the administration had issued guidelines on timings for both observances and asked police to keep routes clear, as the COVID-19 pandemic was still on. Residents, young and old, speak of their excitement; several say they are celebrating well despite the pandemic year.
The story behind Holika Dahan
Holika Dahan is performed on the full-moon night of Phalguna. According to the Puranic story, the demon king Hiranyakashipu wanted his son Prahlad, a devotee of Lord Vishnu, killed. His sister Holika, believed to be immune to fire, sat in a fire with Prahlad in her lap, but Holika burned while Prahlad survived. The bonfire is seen as the victory of faith and good over evil. Devotees circle the fire, offer new grain, coconut and cow-dung cakes, and many take the fire's embers home as a blessing.
Shab-e-Barat
Shab-e-Barat is observed on the night between the 14th and 15th of the Islamic month of Sha'ban. Many believers spend it in prayer, seek forgiveness and visit graves. Because the Islamic calendar is lunar and about 11 days shorter than the solar year, the date moves each year, which is why it coincided with Holika Dahan in 2021.
Old Lucknow's festive streets
Aminabad and Qaisarbagh are among Lucknow's oldest commercial areas. Qaisarbagh takes its name from the palace complex built by Nawab Wajid Ali Shah in the mid-19th century. In festival season the lanes fill with stalls of colours, pichkaris, sweets and gujiya.
Tips for a safe Holika Dahan
- Light bonfires only at designated places, away from wires, vehicles and thatched roofs.
- Keep children and loose clothing at a safe distance.
- Use dry wood and cow-dung cakes; avoid burning plastic or tyres.
- Follow local timings announced by the administration, especially when festivals coincide.
The 2021 video is a small record of how old Lucknow shared one night between two traditions.
