Memory and tradition of the Bhojpuri diaspora: the socio-cultural aesthetics of Phagwa celebration

Phagwa symbolises the triumph of good over evil. The celebrating spirit of Phagwa and carnivalesque imagery draw on the mischievous and playful spirit which mocks authority, subverts power relationships, and creates a new world. This carnivalesque setting of Phagwa serves as a metaphor where people from different cultural groups join the religious procession to show solidarity. The Phagwa carnival is characterised by the spirit of possibilities, renewal, the tearing down of old forms, and the creation of new bonds & identity. The carnival of Phagwa is a performative ritual of cultural resistance and awakening, claiming space, and celebrating freedom from any kind of oppression. This paper looks at the Phagwa ritual in the diaspora that helps in understanding the importance of the memory of the past and how this festival of the Overseas Hindu community bridges the gap between different cultural groups and forefronts the message of unity in diversity.