Holi 2026: Attend this walk to learn about how the Koli community celebrates the festival

A group of Koli men and women sport their traditional attire. Pics courtesy/Photowalks Mumbai

As the month of March draws closer, most Mumbaikars prepare themselves for clouds of gulal, the chaos of water balloon fights and oiling your body before going to play Holi. But at Worli Koliwada, the build-up to the festival is slightly different. This Holi, Photowalks Mumbai and The Roamers Club will lead a curated Holi walk into the fishing village to witness the Koli community's observance of Holika Dahan. For the Kolis, widely regarded as Mumbai's original inhabitants - this ritual ranks second only to Narali Purnima in significance, and centres not on colour but on fire.

A celebration of Shimga. Representation pic/istock

Curator of the walk, Shantanu Dey, is clear about the distinction. "This is actually not the traditional colour Holi; this has got more to do with Holika Dahan - the burning of the tree. It is similar in timing to the colour Holi, but the ritual itself predates it."

At the centre of the ceremony is what the community calls the ‘Shimga' - the tree and its branches that are assembled collectively a day or two in advance. "The entire ritual of putting branches of trees together, placing them in a stack - they refer to it as the Shimga," explains Dey. By evening, the structure stands ready, and after sunset it is ceremonially set alight.

Children dress up for the festivities

Women play a significant role in the proceedings. The women carry clay pots filled with ritual offerings; they circle the fire before placing the contents into the blaze. The items are symbolic rather than ornamental. "It's not jewellery or any decorative object," reiterates Dey. "These are offerings like grains, coconuts and other elements that signify prayer, protection and prosperity as the whole aspect is about devotion. This is also followed by people praying to the sea god for better fish, and for the protection of their boats." There is no strict timetable per se, but the ceremony typically begins after sunset, once the community has dressed up and gathered together.

After the ceremony and the rituals comes the entertainment, where the community buzzes with quintessential Koli music, with songs like Papletwali, Amche Darashi Hay Shimga, and Holi Cha San, among many others, as the community comes together to dance with the DJ and ensure the celebration is high-energy and full of fun.

On March 1; 6 pm onwards
Log on to @photowalksmumbai or @the_roamersclub
Call 9082624292
Entry Rs 799 onwards