Holi is the festival of colors. The festival signifies the arrival of spring and the end of winter. In India, this is the last full moon of the year and 15 days after this full moon is the New Year in India. So before that last full moon, the tradition is to just take all the old stuff and put it in the fire and play Holi with colors.
There are many stories associated with Holi – of it being a beautiful full moon day, of welcoming spring , and of Krishna dancing with all the Gopis (devotees of Lord Krishna) while playing Holi.
Holi is a festival when we break all the barriers and feel a sense of oneness with everyone. This is the message of this vibrant festival. As we apply colors on one another and wish each one the very best: “Let your life be colorful.”
If you leave a group of kids in a room that come from many different backgrounds (rich, poor, intelligent, not-so-intelligent), do you know how they’ll play? They will play without finding any distinction between themselves. Similarly, Holi is one such festival that unites people of diverse backgrounds and professions.
Society divides people – sometimes on the basis of profession, gender, age groups. Holi is the time when we break all these barriers of gender, nationality, race, and religion. From the elderly to the young! You hug everybody and put colors on them. It’s a unifying celebration.
The essence of Holi
There are different colors associated with our feelings and emotions. For instance:
Red – anger
Green – jealousy
Yellow – vibrancy and happiness
Pink – love
Blue – vastness
White – peace
Saffron – sacrifice
Violet – knowledge
Each person is a fountain of colors that keeps changing its hues. If your life is like Holi, where each color is seen clearly, then that adds charm to your life. Harmony in diversity makes life vibrant, joyful, and more colorful.
Like Holi, life should be colorful, not boring. When each color is seen clearly, it is vibrant. When all the colors get mixed, you end up with black.
Similarly, in our day-to-day lives, we play different roles. Each role and emotion needs to be clearly defined. Emotional confusion creates problems. When you are a father, you have to play the part of a father. You can’t be a father at the workplace. When you mix roles in your life, you start making mistakes. Whatever role you play in life, give yourself fully to it.
In ignorance, emotions are a bother; in knowledge, the same emotions add color. Tell yourself that you will do justice to all the roles you play. You can play all the roles: a good spouse, good child, good parent, and a good citizen. Assume that you have all these qualities in you. Just let them blossom
History of Holi
Holi is an ancient festival of India and was originally known as ‘Holika’. The festivals finds a detailed description in early religious works such as Jaimini’s Purvamimamsa-Sutras and Kathaka-Grhya-Sutras. Historians also believe that Holi was celebrated by all Aryans but more so in the Eastern part of India. It is said that Holi existed several centuries before Christ. However, the meaning of the festival is believed to have changed over the years. Earlier it was a special rite performed by married women for the happiness and well-being of their families and the full moon (Raka) was worshiped.
Holika Dahan
There are numerous mythological explanations that are described in the historical books regarding the death of Holika and its reference for the celebration of Holi. In accordance to those historical explanations Holika was booned by Brahma for not getting any harm from fire or never getting burnt in fire. Following the order of his Brother Hiranyakashyap (who was also the father of Prahlad) Holika sat on fire with Prahladf in order to burn him in fire and let to death. It was Prahlad’s prayers to Lord Vishnu that saved him from burning in fire. It was the protective shawl of Holika that flew to cover Prahlad’s body from Holika who was having it. This is the story behind the celebration of Holika Dahan that is still followed by the people of India.
Legend of Holika and Prahlad
There was once a demon king by the name of Hiranyakashyap who won over the kingdom of earth. He was so egoistic that he commanded everybody in his kingdom to worship only him. But to his great disappointment, his son, Prahlad became an ardent devotee of Lord Naarayana and refused to worship his father.
Hiranyakashyap tried several ways to kill his son Prahlad but Lord Vishnu saved him every time. Finally, he asked his sister, Holika to enter a blazing fire with Prahlad in her lap. For, Hiranyakashyap knew that Holika had a boon, whereby, she could enter the fire unscathed.
Treacherously, Holika coaxed young Prahlad to sit in her lap and she herself took her seat in a blazing fire. The legend has it that Holika had to pay the price of her sinister desire by her life. Holika was not aware that the boon worked only when she entered the fire alone.
Prahlad, who kept chanting the name of Lord Naarayana all this while, came out unharmed, as the lord blessed him for his extreme devotion. Thus, Holi derives its name from Holika. And, is celebrated as a festival of victory of good over evil.
Holi is also celebrated as the triumph of a devotee. As the legend depicts that anybody, howsoever strong, cannot harm a true devotee. And, those who dare torture a true devotee of god shall be reduced to ashes.
The Legend of Radha-Krishna
Young Krishna is known to be very playful and mischievous. The story goes that as a child, Krishna was extremely jealous of Radha’s fair complexion since he himself was very dark.
One day, Krishna complained to his mother Yashoda about the injustice of nature which made Radha so fair and he so dark. To pacify the crying young Krishna, the doting mother asked him to go and colour Radha’s face in whichever colour he wanted.
In a mischievous mood, naughty Krishna heeded the advice of mother Yashoda and applied colour on her beloved Radha’s face; Making her one like himself.
Well, there is also a legend to explain Krishna’s dark complexion. It so happened that once a demon attempted to kill infant Krishna by giving him poisoned milk. Because of which Krishna turned blue. But Krishna did not die and the demon shriveled up into ashes.
The Legend of Dhundhi
It is believed that there was once an Ogress called Dhundhi in the kingdom of Prithu (or Raghu). The female monster used to specially trouble little children who became fed- up of her. Dhundhi, had a boon from Lord Shiva that she would not be killed by gods, men nor suffer from arms nor from heat, cold or rain. These boons which made her almost invincible but she also had a weak point. She was also cursed by Lord Shiva that she would be in danger from boys going about crazy.
Deeply troubled by the Ogress, the King of Raghu consulted his priest. Giving the solution, the priest said that on Phalguna 15, the season of cold vanishes and summer starts. Boys with bits of wood in their hands may go out of their house, collect a heap of wood and grass, set it on fire with mantras, clap their hands, go around the fire thrice, laugh, sing and by their noise, laughter and homa, the ogress would die.
The legend has it that on the day of Holi, village boys displayed their united might and chased Dhundhi away by a blitzkrieg of shouts, abuses and pranks. It is for this reason that young boys are allowed to use rude words on the day of Holi without anybody taking offence. Children also take great pleasure in burning Holika.
Different Types Of Holi Celebrations In India
Lathmaar Holi
In what is known as the hub of holi in India – Barsana, Holi is known as Lathmaar Holi. Sounds violence?? There is more violece than the name signals off. The stick is in the hands of the women on this day and the men need to work a lot to save themselves from the immensely charged up womenfolk.
The birth place of Lord Krishna’s beloved Radha, Barsana celebrates Holi with extreme enthusiasm as Krishna was famous for playing pranks on Radha and gopis. In fact, it was Krishna who started the tradition of colours by first applying colour on Radha’s face.
Womenfolk, of Barsana it seems, after thousands of centuries want to take a sweet revenge of that prank of Krishna. Even men have not left their mischief and are still eager to apply colour on the women of Barsana.
Following the tradition, men of Nandgaon, the birthplace of Krishna, come to play Holi with the girls of Barsana, but instead of colours they are greeted with sticks.
Completely aware of what welcome awaits them in Barsana, men come fully padded and try their best to escape from the spirited women. Men are not supposed to retaliate on the day. The unlucky ones are forcefully led away and get a good thrashing from the women. Further, they are made to wear a female attire and dance in public. All in the spirit of Holi.
The next day, it is the turn of men of Barsana. They reciprocate by invading Nandgaon and drench the womenfolk of Nandgaon in colours of kesudo, naturally occurring orange-red dye and palash. This day, women of Nadagow beat the invaders from Barsana. It is a colorful site.
Dhulandi Holi in Haryana
Celebrated magnanimously in the state of Haryana, Dhulandi is a celebration of the bond between Bhabhi (sister-in-law) and Devar (brother-in-law). This relationship of playing pranks and annoying each other is literally like the bond between partners in crime. On this special day, Bhabhis get an advantage to drag their Devars in mock rage. This is how they payback for the gags they play. Besides, smearing colors and splashing water is a ritual, the real essence of Holi lies in bringing colors and joy in otherwise mundane life.
Phoolon Ki Holi in Vrindavan
Celebrated on the Ekadashi in the Holi week, Phoolon ki Holi is played with petals of fresh flowers in Banke Bihari temple, Vrindavan with great fervor by the Krishna disciples. The exquisiteness lies in the ambiance that’s filled with fragrance and flowers, the scenic vista takes you to a different world. Unlike, usual Holi festival which is played with colors and water, Phoolon ki Holi is more about connecting with God of love and joy by showering him with flowers. Not too lengthy, a 15-minute affair is enough to take you in a trance.
Rangpanchami in Maharashtra
Out of the myriad ways of playing Holi, Rangpanchami celebrated in Maharashtra is yet another exquisite style. Celebrated on the 5th day preceding Phalgun Purnima, the fun seems ceaseless. Lord Krishna with his notorious comrades used to steal butter from the neighborhood and to keep the butter safe from these butter-thieves, women used to hide it in the highest chambers in the houses. Dated from that time, the tradition is followed in Mumbai and many cities of Maharashtra in the name of Krishna Leela. To relive the antics, every year pandals are set to break pots. The pots are hung on the great height and boys in huge numbers form pyramids. Trained boys climb up onto them while women deter them from reaching to the pot by splashing water and colors. The sight of this ceaseless battle brings verve and joy to the clocked-up life in big cities.
Royal Holi in Jaipur
The land that is already famous as Pink city is a delight to watch on the auspicious day of Holi as it is soaked in multiple hues, unrestricted to pink. The royals of the City Palace in Jaipur organize a grand ceremony in their condominium every year. This blazes up the excitement of Holi amongst the local folks and the foreign tourists. Every year, Jaipur is hoarded with huge footfall during this festival as it is the time when people get to smear the royal family with colors. The frolicsome grand celebration of the Holi Festival in Jaipur etches the indelible memories in the hearts of the visitors.
Basant Utsav in West Bengal
The day marked as the birth anniversary of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Holi has this special significance in West Bengal. The land of writers and scholars celebrates the festival of colors with songs, dance, and chanting hymns in the University at Shantiniketan, Kolkata which was founded by the legend Rabindra Nath Tagore. Unlike the rambunctious Holi celebration all over India, here it is subdued and restrained but the essence of festivity is fine-tuned. No wonder if you dread the rowdiness, Holi in Bengal can be an option for a moderate and graceful way of celebrating Holi.
Hola Mohalla in Anandpur, Punjab
Lionized by Sikh Guru Gobind Singh, Hola Mohalla is a festival that is out of the ordinary and celebrated one day after Holi. Giving tribute to the mettle and valor of the Sikh men, it is celebrated as an event that exhibits martial arts, stunts, and mock fights followed by the usual tradition of playing with colors in the evening. There is a massive arrangement for langar (food) that is served in the Gurudwara all throughout the day. A one-day fun and frolic affair is held in open ground at a ford across the creek Charan Ganga, Hola Mohalla is the biggest festival of Anandpur Sahib, Punjab.
Phalgun Purnima in Bihar
The harbinger of the spring season, Holi in Bihar is celebrated to mark good harvests and fertility of the land besides the significance of the mythological tale of Prahlad winning over Holika. On the eve of Phalgun Purnima, bonfires are lit by putting cow dung cakes, grains from the fresh harvest, and wood of the Holika tree. Holi is marked as the beginning of the new year in Bihar therefore people clean their houses to bring positivity and prosperity to their life. Apart from smearing colors, folks in Bihar also use mud, the air fills with high pitch folk songs sung to the tune of the dholak. Folks indulge in consuming intoxicating bhang to brighten up the mood during this festival. They sing, dance, laugh, and enjoy the true spirit of the festival.