Fast Facts
Region : Celebrated in most part of India especially in
North India
Celebration Time : Celebrated in the month of March.
Celebrated by : Hindus
Overview
When you ask somebody about the most popular festival of India, chances are
that he will take the name of Holi. Of course, Holi deserves it too, because
it is the only Indian festival which ends any sort of differences among
people. Usually, Holi marks the end of chilly winter and rejoices in the
bloom of the spring season.
The festival of Holi is combination of a number of interesting rituals
which are followed by the people from time immemorial. Celebration of Holi
begins with the burning of Holika on the eve of Holi and it culminates with
lots of fun-filled activity and bonhomie. As the festival arrives, the
enthusiasm of the people reaches its peak, differences of any sort are
drowned in water of various colours like bright red, magenta, pink, green,
blue etc. and people only enjoy being a play animal. People also throw abeer
and gulal in the air and also on each other to show great joy and enjoyment
in the arrival of this colorful festival. Children enjoy the festival by
throwing water or colour filled balloons at passerby, besides they also use
pichkaries to drench the people from far.
Finally, after a wild and eventful day, people celebrate the evening in a
dignified manner by visiting friends and relatives. People exchange
delicious sweets and hug each other conveying the warm wishes for the
colourful festival. Holi Meets are also organized, in which people
participate and enjoy the festival till late in the night.
It's not possible to describe all the activities of this fun-filled
colourful festival in words, better you visit India this Holi and enjoy the
festival on your own. Apart from being a part of various activities, you
will surely return to your home with some life-long memories.
History of Holi
Historically Holi is one of the ancient festivals of India and in olden
days it was called as 'Holika'. You will find the description of Holi in
religious scriptures like Jaimini's Purvamimansa-Sutras and
Kathaka-Grhya-Sutras. Besides having a description in ancient texts and
inscriptions, the festival of Holi also finds its mention in the Vedas and
Puranas such as Narad Purana and Bhavishya Purana.
According to noted historians, Holi was celebrated by Aryans especially in
the Eastern part of the country. As per historic records, the festival of
Holi existed several years before the birth of Jesus Christ. In truth, the
actual meaning of the Holi festival has changed over the centuries, but the
rituals are still same. Only change you find today is that earlier Holi was
a special festival for married women celebrated for the happiness and well
being of their families, but now it is a festival of colour, love and
brother-hood.
Related Legend
Legend has it that in the ancient time there was a demon king,
Hiranyakashyap who was highly arrogant and egoistic in nature.
Hiranyakashyap won over the kingdom of earth and he ordered everybody in his
kingdom to woship him only. But Hiranyakashyap's wish never fulfilled as his
own son, Prahlad became a passionate devotee of Lord Narayana and denied to
worship his father. As a result, Hiranyakashyap tried numerous ways to kill
his son Prahlad but the latter was saved by Lord Vishnu every time.
After several attempts, Hiranyakashyap asked his sister, Holika to enter a
blazing fire with his son, Prahlad in her lap. King Hiranyakashyap was aware
of the fact that Holika has a boon and fire couldn't burn her. Despite the
boon, Holika died in the fire and Prahlad, who kept chanting the name of
Lord Narayan, came out unharmed. According to this legend, the festival of
Holi derives its name from Holika and is celebrated as a festival of victory
of good over evil. Even today, the legend is followed by people across India
and they enact the scene of 'Holika's buring to ashes' in their society or
town.
Rituals of Holi
Holika
Dahan Celebration : Holika Dahan celebration takes place on the eve of Holi.
Every year, in the night people burn the effigy of Holika to symbolise the
victory of good over evil.
Play of Colours : Dhuleti, the main day of Holi
celebration, is the day when the play of colours take place. Children,
young, adult and old-aged people take extreme delight in spraying colour on
each other through pichkaris or pouring buckets and buckets of colour.
Amidst all the fun-filled activities people enjoy holi delicacies like
gujiya, mathri, malpua, puranpoli, dahi badas and many other traditional
delicacies.
Consumption of Bhang : Consumption of the intoxicating and
invigorating Bhang is a famous tradition of Holi. People generally consume
Bhang with thandai and pakoras. After consuming Bhang people go high on it
and enjoy Holi to the hilt. Bhang enhances the spirit of Holi, but if
consumed in excess it might dampen the festival too, so caution should be
taken while taking it.
Traditions of Holi
Holi is celebrated by varied names in India and the traditions followed by
the people also varies a little from one state to other state. The colourful
festival is celebrated with great pomp and gaiety in Mathura, Vrindavan,
Barsana and Nandgaon as these places have their links with the birth and
childhood of Lord Krishna.
In the state of Haryana, women, specifically the bhabhis (sister-in-laws)
get a social sanction to beat their dewars (brother-in-laws), this
revengeful tradition is called Dulandi Holi. In the states of Maharashtra
and Gujarat, apart from the play of colours, the most interesting tradition
of Holi is breaking the pots. The festival of colour is celebrated in most
dignified manner in West Bengal, especially in Vishwa Bharati University. In
some parts of Bengal, Holi is also celebrated as Dol Yatra in which the
idols of Lord Krishna and Radha are taken out in a procession on a nicely
decorated palanquin. On the whole, there a number of other ways in which the
festival is celebrated in various states, what's important is the fact that
the spirit of Holi remains same throughout the country.
