The Quintessential Holud Playlist

Winter is generally considered the wedding season. But recently summer's seen its fair share of weddings and such, henceforth, becoming somewhat of a pseudo-wedding season. So now that it draws near, it's about time we talk about what's really important here: the holud. Also the performances you'll be seeing this holud. So, I've compiled the songs that will undoubtedly be part of the celebration and will be as important as the groom or bride. This is what you need on your iPod to be in tuned with the season: 

The All Boys Edition: This is the song that needs words like "boys" or "pola" or the basic description of how cool masculinity is. And how the dancing of the boys in question is also cool and masculine. Now this is the song that can range from being Ananta Jalil's famous "Dhaka'r Pola" to "Make some noise for desi boyz (boys)." Notice how the song titles make sure that you know they are about boys. And if you listen to the songs, I assure you, you'll also realise these songs celebrate the boys more than the occasion.

The PG-13 Romantic Song: These are the songs where the boys and girls pair up. They get close enough to make sure that it seems like a romantic performance, but remain distant enough so the aunties scouting for potential "patros" and "patris" for the next wedding don't leave them out for looking at other men or women. These are the songs you have to be careful with; it's a thin line to walk on. This will determine whether the next wedding's going to be yours or the boy that kept teasing you at school.

The All Girls Edition: Unlike the All Boys Edition, this does not require for there to be "girls" or "women" or any mention of the gender performing it. Neither does it need to celebrate femininity. It just has to be a song that sounds like something you'd perform a "kathak" to. Doesn't even have to be the song that you have to classically dance to, it just has to sound like it is. Like the chorus of Lean On, without the rest of the parts.

The Catchy Hindi Song at the Moment: I don't know why this is a trend. But it seems to be. I've stopped trying to find out what the trending Hindi songs are at the moment because I know I'll find out in the next holud I go to. Generally this is the best performance of the night. 

The Quirky Song: This is the song that sets your holud apart from rest of the lesser holuds. Some use the Beatles, some use a random Bangla song from long ago, and some may even resort to an anime opening theme song. Yes. Who am I to question? But it is what makes your holud unique just like all the other holuds.

Aashona: From the movie "Borbaad" this is the one song that I've so far heard in every holud, birthday parties, baby showers, business parties, just about any cultural (and otherwise) event I've gone to in the past two years. If this is not a part of your holud, does it even count as a real holud?

Fatimah Akhtar is a food and fiction enthusiast with a soft spot for bulldogs. Redirect all your complaints, queries, and feedbacks to her at fatimahaakhtar@gmail.com