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Legends The
Rituals Do's
& Don'ts
The Festival of Holi is celebrated on the full moon in the month of Phalgun. This occurs around Feb-March of the English Calendar month. This is also the time, marking the end of winter, and the advent of spring. With spring beginning, all the trees are flowering, and everything is colorful. That's the mood, the festival can bring in. The environment sets the mood for one and all. People just take it from there.
Holi is celebrated throughout India but it is more predominant in North India. Preparations for the festival begin a week ahead. Houses are given a fresh coat of color, beautiful floral designs are drawn at the entrance, and powdered colors and spraying pistons are bought.
In earlier days the colors were extracted from a flower that blossoms only during this festival. The pistons were made of bamboo sticks. But over the years colors are made artificially and pistons made of different materials and available in various designs.
On this festival, people from all castes and social strata come together forgetting all past differences and grievances. People visit homes, distribute sweets and apply gulal (pink coloured powder) on each other, signifying the colorful and happy spring times ahead. They greet each other, embracing three times. The color, noise and entertainment that accompanies the celebration of Holi bears witness to a feeling of oneness and sense of brother-hood. No other festival brings home the lesson of spiritual and social harmony as well as the festival of Holi!
As any other Indian festival, this festival is also associated with a number of legends. The most popular of these legends is the one about a small boy 'Prahlad', and his father 'Hiranyakashyap'. There are also legends about Lord Shiva(destructor), Parvati and Kama(the god of desire). There is also a legend about Lord Krishna and Radha
Legends
Hiranyakashyap, was a king, who had proclaimed himself as the master of the universe. He performed severe penance for many years to gain the power to become the king of the three worlds. Lord Brahma granted him a boon that he could not be killed by, either man or beast, either indoors or outdoors, and either during the day or at night.
Believing that he was now invincible, Hiranyakashyap soon became pompous and ordered all his people to worship only him. His son named Prahlad, was an ardent devotee of Vishnu. Much against his father's wishes, Prahlad continued to pray to Vishnu. The evil king decided to kill his own son, but each attempt failed. The king then summoned his sister Holika who, because of a boon, was immune to fire. He prepared a pyre, lit it and asked Holika to sit on it, clutching Prahalad. However her boon was limited only to herself. With Prahlad on her lap, she perished. Prahlad survived because of his devotion to Lord Vishnu. This legend is lived on Holi when the pyre is re-lit. Holika also signifies the dirt and filth that collects during the winter months. Hay and old rubbish is thrown into the bonfire for spring-cleaning.
Lord Vishnu incarnated himself as Narasimha (half-man, half-lion) to destroy Hiranyakashyap. The legend has it, that he used his nails to destroy Hiranyakashyap, at dusk (neither the day nor night), and at the front porch of the house (neither indoors not outdoors). Thus, he satisfied the conditions of Brahma's boon and destroyed the evil.
In many parts of India however, Kama - the God of love, is the presiding deity. According to an ancient legend, Shiva was deep in meditation. Parvati, the daughter of Himalayas was unaware of his meditation and sought his love. Kama shot an arrow towards Shiva, thus disturbing his meditation. Shiva was enraged and destroyed Kama, reducing him to a heap of ashes. He was later resurrected on request of Rati (Kama's wife) and Parvati.
This animated festival is also associated with the immortal love of Krishna and Radha, and their divine dance known as Raas-Lila. Holi is spread over 16 days in Vrindavan as well as Mathura - the two northern cities with which Lord Krishna shared a deep affiliation. Apart from the usual fun with coloured powder and water, Holi is marked by vibrant processions, which are accompanied by Raas-Lila.
The Rituals
On the day of Holi, young and old alike are drenched with colors. People are suddenly caught unawares with colors being poured from the terraces and roofs of houses, bursting balloons, or pichkaris (long pistons) squirting colored water. People in small groups are seen singing, dancing and throwing colors on each other. They also eat food laced with bhang, an aphrodisiac that leaves one feeling light, happy, and reckless.
Usually people burn the Holika in the evening of Holi. The next day people have fun with colored water. Men, women and children all participate in this merry making. In the evening, youngsters play with dry colors and seek elders' blessings.
Holi is as important a festival as Dusserah and Diwali.
Do's
& don'ts
It might be difficult, but be careful of the quality of colours you use.
It might be worthwhile to find out if you are allergic to colours by using the skin test recommended by most cosmetic companies - by applying it on a patch in the inner elbow. If there is any irritation, avoid them. It could lead to dangerous consequences.
If you feel irritation when a particular brand or colour is smeared, wash immediately and ask people not to put that on you.
Avoid metallic colours, especially those that come in the paste form. They are known to cause harm.
Wash eyes immediately if colours fall in, especially if you are wearing lens. On second thoughts, do not wear lens when playing holi since colours or coloured water spray can get in and cause problems.
Rush to a doctor immediately if any rashes or adverse symptoms develop on use of colours.
If you are not comfortable with colours, tell people not to douse you. After all Holi is meant to be enjoyed, and you have a right to say no if you don't like.
And lastly, have fun but not at the expense of others.
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