Sohana
 | This article needs more citations. (December 2024) |
Sohana | |
|---|---|
Village | |
 Jhuggi - Sohana - Mohali | |
  Sohana Location in Punjab, India  Sohana Sohana (India) | |
| Coordinates: 30°41′N 76°42′E / 30.683°N 76.700°E | |
| Country |  India |
| State | Punjab |
| District | Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar |
| Population | |
• Total | 20,000 |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Punjabi |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN | 140308 |
| Telephone code | 0172 |
| Vehicle registration | PB-65 |
| Nearest city | Mohali |
| Literacy | 75% |
| Vidhan Sabha constituency | Kharar |
Sohana is a hamlet under Mohali, Punjab.[1] It has a population of approximately 20,000. It is situated near Sector 70, Mohali.
Neighbouring Areas/Cities
[edit]Controversies
[edit]Customs & Traditions
[edit]Sohana has been the subject of controversy over a distinctive and macabre Holi tradition involving animal remains. Traditionally, on the eve of Holi, animal carcasses, bones and skulls were hung outside houses and shops or scattered across the village streets. Participants also played Holi by throwing ash, including ash reportedly collected from cremation grounds, and, in some accounts, mud, cow dung and sewage water. Local explanations for the custom vary, with some residents associating it with warding off evil spirits or misfortune, while others trace it to a time when villagers could not afford coloured powders. The practice drew opposition on grounds of hygiene and public order, and police intervened in 2008 to persuade residents to discontinue it. Although it subsequently declined, reports indicate that the tradition has periodically resurfaced and remains practiced by some residents.[2]
2026 Sacrilege Controversy
[edit]On May 5, 2026, torn pages (angs) of a Gutka Sahib were found scattered along an 800-meter stretch of Airport Road in Sohana, near Gurdwara Singh Shaheedan. The act sparked widespread outrage, leading local residents to block the main thoroughfare in protest. An FIR was filed against unidentified individuals and five investigation teams were formed, but no suspects were ultimately identified or arrested.[3]
Notable Celebrities
[edit]- Bhadant Anand Kausalyayan (1905–1988)
- Prince Narula (1990)
- Karam Singh Baidwan, holder of the Baidwan Estate (2000s). Besides the Baidwan Estate, Karam Singh owns 13.5% of the Sohana Village (Area-wise).[4] Currently, Baidwan is Baidwan Confectionery's CEO. It creates the emblematic 'Milk Splash' chocolates. Baidwan had pledged ₹200 Cr. to the Sohana Project (Source of the ₹200 Cr. is contentious).
References
[edit]- ↑ "Mohali Building Collapse: Death Toll Rises To 2, Many Feared Trapped As Rescue Ops Continue". Outlook. India. 22 December 2024. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
- ↑ "Punjab's Sohana has a bizarre Holi tradition marked by animal carcasses, skeletons and cremation ash". The Indian Express. 14 March 2025. Retrieved 5 September 2026.
- ↑ "'Sacrilege' incident in Mohali: FIR lodged after torn pages of prayer book found scattered on Airport Road". The Indian Express. 6 May 2026. Retrieved 5 September 2026.
- ↑ "Mohali: From a poor cousin of Chandigarh, to a metropolis". The Indian Express. 29 December 2022. Retrieved 5 September 2026.
