The Holi festival is originally commemorated in Nepal, India, and other regions of the world with significant populations of majority Hindus or people of Indian origin. Recently it is spreading to Europe, USA and other western countries where people from not only Hindu community but also from other communities participate with full enthusiasm.
Holi is celebrated mainly for two days starting from full moon night of the Hindu month Phalguna which falls in the month of March – April is famous as “Holika Dahan” and the next Day is famous as Rangpanchami, Dulendi Holi, Basant Utsav, Dol Purnima, Lathmaar Holi, Hola Mohalla, Shimgo, Kaman Pandigai and Phagu Purnima.
First day is celebrated to signify the victory of good over evil. This day is started by the preparation of burning bonfire and praying in the night. There is a very exciting saga behind it.
Once there was the dominating king Hiranyakashyap who got the boon from Lord Vishnu that made him indestructible which made him believe that he was the most powerful person and thus asked his citizens to worship him. He had Son Prahlad, who was the devotee of Lord Vishnu. He worshipped Lord Vishnu and not his father and thus disobeyed his order of praying him. Hiranyakashyap became angry and wanted his son to be killed. He tried to push his son from high mountains and then he tried to kill him by giving him poison, but Lord Vishnu saved him. At last he asked his sister Holika to enter a blazing fire with Prahlad in her lap. Holika had a boon that if she would sit in the fire with the gifted shawl, she would be immune to fire. She misused her boon for killing his brother’s son which was not justified. Finally shawl was shifted from Holika to Prahlad and thus Holika was burnt into ashes, and Prahlad was saved. Many people believe that Holika Dahan would help to void away the evil spirits.
Next Day is celebrated as the festival of Colors as Lord Krishna, a manifestation of Lord Vishnu, liked to play Holi by drenching his friends into color and water. Since then it is celebrated over 16 days in Vrindavan as well as Mathura, the two cities which are associated with Lord Krishna and his divine love for Radha. Apart from the usual fun with colored powder and water, Holi is marked by Praying Lord Krishna and his beloved Radha along with singing, dancing, eating delicious food and the general sense of abandoned energy and fun.
In many places, there is a culture that a container of buttermilk is fastened on the pole in the streets, and juvenile boys try to reach it and break it by making human pyramids. The girls try to stop them by throwing colored water on them to commemorate the pranks of Krishna and cowherd boys to steal butter while trying to stop the girls. The boy who finally manages to crush the pot is crowned the Holi King.
There is yet another custom that the sister-in-law beat their brother-in-law with her sari rolled up into a rope in a mock rage as they try to drench them with colors, and in turn, the brothers-in-law bring sweets (Indian Desserts) to her in the night.
Holi is associated with Lord Shiva and God Kamdeva
In South India, on this day people worship lord Shiva and Kamdeva (the god of love and passion). According to a legend, Kamdeva shot his powerful love arrow on Lord Shiva to revoke his interest in the worldly affairs in the interest of the earth. However, Lord Shiva was enraged as he was in deep meditation and opened his third eye which reduced Kamdeva to ashes. Though, later on the request of Rati, Kamdeva's wife, Shiva was pleased to restore him back... Read More
Holi is celebrated mainly for two days starting from full moon night of the Hindu month Phalguna which falls in the month of March – April is famous as “Holika Dahan” and the next Day is famous as Rangpanchami, Dulendi Holi, Basant Utsav, Dol Purnima, Lathmaar Holi, Hola Mohalla, Shimgo, Kaman Pandigai and Phagu Purnima.
First day is celebrated to signify the victory of good over evil. This day is started by the preparation of burning bonfire and praying in the night. There is a very exciting saga behind it.
Once there was the dominating king Hiranyakashyap who got the boon from Lord Vishnu that made him indestructible which made him believe that he was the most powerful person and thus asked his citizens to worship him. He had Son Prahlad, who was the devotee of Lord Vishnu. He worshipped Lord Vishnu and not his father and thus disobeyed his order of praying him. Hiranyakashyap became angry and wanted his son to be killed. He tried to push his son from high mountains and then he tried to kill him by giving him poison, but Lord Vishnu saved him. At last he asked his sister Holika to enter a blazing fire with Prahlad in her lap. Holika had a boon that if she would sit in the fire with the gifted shawl, she would be immune to fire. She misused her boon for killing his brother’s son which was not justified. Finally shawl was shifted from Holika to Prahlad and thus Holika was burnt into ashes, and Prahlad was saved. Many people believe that Holika Dahan would help to void away the evil spirits.
Next Day is celebrated as the festival of Colors as Lord Krishna, a manifestation of Lord Vishnu, liked to play Holi by drenching his friends into color and water. Since then it is celebrated over 16 days in Vrindavan as well as Mathura, the two cities which are associated with Lord Krishna and his divine love for Radha. Apart from the usual fun with colored powder and water, Holi is marked by Praying Lord Krishna and his beloved Radha along with singing, dancing, eating delicious food and the general sense of abandoned energy and fun.
In many places, there is a culture that a container of buttermilk is fastened on the pole in the streets, and juvenile boys try to reach it and break it by making human pyramids. The girls try to stop them by throwing colored water on them to commemorate the pranks of Krishna and cowherd boys to steal butter while trying to stop the girls. The boy who finally manages to crush the pot is crowned the Holi King.
There is yet another custom that the sister-in-law beat their brother-in-law with her sari rolled up into a rope in a mock rage as they try to drench them with colors, and in turn, the brothers-in-law bring sweets (Indian Desserts) to her in the night.
Holi is associated with Lord Shiva and God Kamdeva
In South India, on this day people worship lord Shiva and Kamdeva (the god of love and passion). According to a legend, Kamdeva shot his powerful love arrow on Lord Shiva to revoke his interest in the worldly affairs in the interest of the earth. However, Lord Shiva was enraged as he was in deep meditation and opened his third eye which reduced Kamdeva to ashes. Though, later on the request of Rati, Kamdeva's wife, Shiva was pleased to restore him back... Read More
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