Holi – The Festival of Colours and Beyond

What comes to your mind when you say Holi? Of course colours!!!

But did you know that Holi is also a festival to end negativity? Let’s find some more facts about the much celebrated festival Holi.

Holi is celebrated in almost every part of Bharat (India). Everybody enjoys the vibrant colours, splashing of colour water and water balloons. I have always loved this festival from my childhood.

Holi Purnima is a festival that is celebrated during spring time in the last month of Falgun on full moon day as per Hindu calendar.

There are many rumors and misconceptions that are spread to misguide about the rituals followed by Hindus during Holi. It is therefore important that we understand the ethos of the celebration and the science behind the rituals.

This festival is celebrated during the spring time when leaves of the trees and branches have already shred a lot and is time for new flowers and leaves to bloom. All Hindu festivals have a great connection with the seasons and overall with nature.

Holi is celebrated to show gratitude towards dry leaves that have shred from the tree which has done great contribution in nurturing the tree. Such dry leaves, stems of trees and dried branches are arranged properly in a pile. The area is cleaned and decorated with Rangoli and flowers.

It is collective efforts of maintaining balance of environment. The pile of dry leaves and branches is then set on fire like a bonfire, making place for new leaves of the trees.

The dry leaves, branches are the symbol of our mind full of negativity which we should put end to by offering them into sacred fire of Holika and empty our mind of any kind of negative thoughts.

This supports to fill in positive thoughts about anything and everything in the world. We pray that all  the anger, distress, anxiety, anxiousness, greed, pride and ego burn out in this sacred fire and let our mind and our surroundings be clean and fresh.

Also, because Holi is celebrated at a time of the year when the fields are in full bloom and people are expecting a good harvest, this gives people a good reason to rejoice and enjoy themselves in the right spirit of Holi.

Now that we have understood the scientific part, let’s move on to a nice story about Holi.

There are many ancient stories known about this festival. It will be really interesting and fun to learn about it.

Long time ago, in fact, many centuries ago, there was a Demon called Hiranyakashypu who wanted everyone to worship him.

However, his son Pralhad was a great devotee of God Vishnu. He used to pray to God Vishnu from the bottom of his heart. Due to this his father wanted to penalise him.

Therefore, he asked Holika, Hiranyakashypu’s sister, to burn Pralhad and eliminate a devotee of God Vishu.

Holika had a boon that she won’t be burned with fire. So she made Pralhad sit on her lap and entered the burning pyre. But Pralhad’s devotion was so strong that with the blessings of God Agni (Hindu Fire God) and God Vishnu, the fire did not burn Pralhad, but Holika, who had the boon of not being able to burn, was burnt and killed on the spot.

Holika had forgotten that the boon only worked when she entered the pyre of fire alone. But God Agni knew her sinister wishes and so she was killed in the fire.

To cherish the victory of God Vishnu and to remember and revere the devotion of Pralhad, this festival is celebrated. The ritual starts by lighting up the bonfire on the night of Holi and this process symbolizes the triumph of good over the evil.

And the next day Hindus celebrate the festival of colours as a symbol of positivity, victory, and all the positive vibes. This celebration is called Dhuli Vandan

So this story signifies the positivity that Holi brings in the lives of the people celebrating this festival.

As mentioned earlier about some propaganda and misconception that people spread about Holi are mentioned below:

1. Cutting trees for Holi and imbalance of environment
   
   This is a wrong practice which is never supported by Hinduism. Holi is supposed to be celebrated with dry branches,steam of trees and dry leaves, cow dunk and not the green trees.
   
   
2. Colours played in Holi are harmful and create skin disease
   
   It is again misleading statement. Originally as per ancient Hindu rituals ,colours were made of  natural resources like turmeric, beetroot, marigold flower, henna, etc. But since it is a little tricky and time consuming people have used shortcuts and started preparing colors artificially which is absolutely wrong practice and should be replaced by eco friendly colors.
   
   
3. People waste a lot of water during Holi
   
   Yet another lie that some like to propagate. Holi need not be played with water. You can enjoy Holi even with dry Holi colours and still have lot of fun.

I hope the above clears any kind of negatively that people might have towards this wonderful festival.

Holi also brings people close to each other which strengthens the bond between people and society at large. It helps getting rid of any animosity and build better relations amongst friends and foes.

So enjoy Holi, the festival of colours with pure mind and soul and welcome the season of spring with positive energy and vibrant colours to fill your Life.

HAPPY HOLI

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