2. Holi is an ancient festival of
India and was originally known
as 'Holika'. Historians also
believe that Holi was
celebrated by all Aryans but
more so in the Eastern part of
India.
HISTORY OF HOLI
3. 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.
4. Hiranyakashyap wanted everybody in his kingdom
to worship only him but to his great
disappointment, his son, Prahlad became an ardent
devotee of Lord Naarayana. Hiaranyakashyap
commanded his sister, Holika to enter a blazing
fire with Prahlad in her lap. Holika had a boon
whereby she could enter fire without any damage
on herself. However, she was not aware that the
boon worked only when she enters the fire alone.
As a result she paid a price for her sinister desires,
while Prahlad was saved by the grace of the god
for his extreme devotion. The festival, therefore,
celebrates the victory of good over evil and also
the triumph of devotion.
LEGENDS AND MYTHOLOGY
5. Legend of Lord Krishna is
also associated with play with
colors as the Lord started the
tradition of play with colours
by applying colour on his
beloved Radha and other
gopis. Gradually, the play
gained popularity with the
people and became a tradition.
6. Holi celebration takes place with lot
of joy and verve throughout the
country. The enthusiasm of the
people reaches its peak and matches
with the nature which is in full bounty
at the time of Holi.
Differences of any sort are drowned
in the coloured waters of Holi and
people just enjoy being a play animal.
To further enhance the festive spirit
of Holi celebrations we have a social
sanction to get a kick with the
tradition of bhang.
HOLI CELEBRATION
7. CHILDREN PARTICULARLY ENJOY THE FESTIVAL AS THEY THROW WATER FILLED BALLOONS AT
PASSERSBY...AND IF ANYBODY STARES..THEY HAVE READY ANSWER, 'BURA NA MANO HOLI
HAI..' AND EVOKE A SMILE ON THE IRRITATED FACE. BESIDES, THEY HAVE THEIR
WATER MISSILES, CALLED PICHKARIS TO DRENCH THE PERSON FROM FAR AND ESCAPE
FURTHER DRENCHING.
IN THE MIDST OF THESE COLOURING GAMES ARE SAVOURED THE MOUTH WATERING
HOLI SPECIALITIES LIKE GUJIYA, MALPUAS, MATHRI, PURAN POLI, DAHI BADAS ETC AND
DOWNED WITH GLASSES FULL OF THANDAI.
8. The colourful festival of Holi is celebrated by
different names in this vast and culturally
diverse country. The traditions followed for
the festival varies a little and at times a lot as
one moves from one state to other studying
the various facets of the festival and getting
behind the various colours of it.
Nowhere it is celebrated with so much charm
and enthusiasm as in Mathura, Vrindavan,
Barsana and Nandgaon - the places associated
with the birth and childhood of Lord Krishna.
At Barsana Holi assumes the name of
Lathmaar Holi. Here, women of Barsana
give a tough time to men of Nandgaon as they
come to play Holi with them. Women drag the
unlucky captives, beat them, dress them in a
female attire - yet all is in the spirit of Holi.
TRADITION OF HOLI
9. Rituals of the
ancient festival
of Holi are
religiously
followed every
year with care
and enthusiasm.
RITUALS OF HOLI
10. Days before the festival
people start gathering
wood for the lighting of
the bonfire called Holika
at the major crossroads of
the city. This ensures that
at the time of the actual
celebration a huge pile of
wood is collected.
PREPARATIONS
11. Then on the eve of Holi, Holika
Dahan takes place. Effigy of
Holika, the devil minded sister of
demon King Hiranyakashyap is
placed in the wood and burnt.
For, Holika tried to kill
Hiranyakashyap's son Prahlad, an
ardent devotee of Lord
Naarayana. The ritual symbolises
the victory of good over evil and
also the triumph of a true
devotee.
HOLIKA DAHAN CELEBRATIONS
12. Next day, is of course the main day of Holi
celebrations. The day is called Dhuleti
and it is on this day that the actual play of
colours take place. There is no tradition of
holding puja and is meant for pure
enjoyment.
The tradition of playing colours is
particularly rampant in north India and
even in that region, there can be no
comparison to the Holi of Mathura and
Vrindavan. In Maharashtra and Gujarat too
Holi is celebrated with lot of enthusiasm
and patience,
PLAY OF COLORS
13. In south India, however, people follow the
tradition of worshiping Kaamadeva, the
love god of Indian mythology. People have
faith in the legend which speak about the
great sacrifice of Kaamadeva when he shot
his love arrow on Lord Shiva to break his
meditation and evoke his interest in worldly
affairs.
After, an eventful and funfilled day people
become a little sober in the evening and
greet friends and relatives by visiting them
and exchange sweets. Holi special get
togethers are also organised by various
cultural organisations to generate harmony
and brotherhood in the society
HOLI CELEBRATIONS IN SOUTH
INDIA
