“Vibrant Holi at Harakutir : A 333-Year Legacy of Colors and Tradition”

The members of the royal Harakutir Ray-banerjee family of Pathuriaghata, Kolkata, West Bengal, just celebrated Holika Dahan and Holi at their premises in a vibrant and joyous affair, reflecting the spirit of India’s Festival of Colors.

Harakutir’s iconic Holi festivities began this monday, with the traditional Holika Dahan ceremony, where a 15 feet tall effigy, made of of hay and wood was set up on fire in a bonfire to symbolize the victory of good over evil. The event was marked by prayers, chanting, and the offering of cimar (puffs of burning cow dung) to ward off evil spirits. The tradition comes from a story in the Bhagavata Purana about the demon king Hiranyakashipu. He wanted everyone to worship him instead of Vishnu. However, his son Prahladaremained a devoted follower of Vishnu. Angry with his son, Hiranyakashipu asked his sister Holika, who had a boon that protected her from fire, to sit in a burning pyre with Prahlada on her lap. But due to divine protection, Prahlada survived while Holika was burned to ashes.

The next day, Harakutir came alive with the sounds of laughter and music as people gathered to celebrate Rangwali Holi. The air was filled with the sweet scent of colors, and the atmosphere was electric with excitement. Their celebration featured traditional Thandai, , a spiced milk drink, and gujiya, a sweet pastry filled with khoya and nuts alongside other Bengali sweets. The evening was filled with soul-stirring performances, including traditional dance and music for their Kuldevta Sree Sree Sridhar Narayan Jew, which ages to 1692 and has been worshipped by eminent saints like Ramakrishna Parhamhans Deb, Shri Shri Mohanananda Brahmachari, Sadhak Bamakhepa and Trailanga Swami to name a few. The deity alongside others was placed in a all silver throne or “jhula” in their adi thakurghar or place of worship.

A message from Mr. Archisman Ray Banerjee, owner and 12^th generation Of Harakutir:

“Holi is a time to let go of our inhibitions and come together as a community. At Harakutir, we’re proud to celebrate this vibrant festival and spread joy and love. Harakutir’s Holi celebrations are a testament to the power of tradition, Sanatani, community, and joy. As the colors fade, the memories linger, and the spirit of Holi stays with us throughout the year.”

Harakutir, a 333-year-old heritage house in Kolkata, is a treasure trove of Bengali culture and tradition. This iconic mansion has been hosting several events like: Durga Puja, Kali Puja, Shivratri and Holi celebrations for the past 333 years, making it one of the oldest and most revered puja venues in the city. At Harakutir, Archisman continues the family legacy, blending tradition with modernity.

The brain behind this grand celebration is Archisman Ray Banerjee, a 12th-generation family member and senior researcher at lIT Kharagpur and works of the National Crime and Investigation Agency, Government of India. Archisman, also the CEO of Brand Harakutir, is a man of many talents – a scientist, innovator, and cultural preservationist. He’s pursuing his PhD in Chemical Engineering as a senior research fellow , focusing on solid-state battery technologies, and has received more than 30 prestigious awards some of them of the likes of the National Icon Award 2025 and Desh Ratna Award 2025 by the Government of India.

Mr. Archisman Ray Banerjee, on behalf of Harakutir, would like to extend their gratitude to some of their prominent social media partners : Kolkata _chitrography and thebeyondbong headed by Mr. Sagnik Bhattacharya, La Kolkata Tales , headed by Mr. Srinjay Dutta, Kolkatacityofjoy, headed by Mr. Aditya Singh, Kolkatar Utsab headed by Mr. Vedanta Singh, Birbhum Canvas, headed by Mr. Ramprasad Dutta and Animesh Sen Sharma, The Forthright Guy Productions, headed by Mr. Trishik bose, nahorahas , headed by Mr. Rohan Saha, la.pixel.capture, headed by Mr. Subhadip Mondal, Thakur Dalan, headed by Mr. Arnab Banerjee, FPS-FRIENDS PHOTO SOCIETY, headed by eminent photo & videographer Mr. Shibasish Saha, kolkatar.emotion, headed by Subhankar Siuli, deepbiswasvlogs, headed by Mr. Souradeep Biswas, Gatha-Tales of India, headed by Ms. Brishti Mitra & Ms. Tripti Soni , saumyaas, headed by Civil Servant Ms. Soumya Sil, Kolkata_verse headed by Mr. Mainak Dasgupta and kolkatazzz headed by Mr. Subhajit Mondal for their exceptional content and valuable inputs that made this event a grand success at Harakutir. Harakutir shall also like to thank eminent photographer Mr. Sammya Brata Mullick (deckle_edge), for his august presence, content and inputs.