Holi, Festival of Colours
Holi is a Hindu spring celebration celebrated in the Indian subcontinent, otherwise called the "celebration of hues" or the "celebration of affection". The celebration means the triumph of good finished underhandedness, the entry of spring, end of winter, and for some, a bubbly day to meet others, play and snicker, overlook and pardon, and repair broken connections. It is additionally celebrated as a thanksgiving for a decent reap. It goes on for a night and a day, beginning on the night of the Purnima (Full Moon day) falling in the month of Phalguna, which falls somewhere close to the finish of February and the center of March in the Gregorian date-book. The primary night is known as Holika Dahan or Chhoti Holi and the next day as Holi, Rangwali Holi, Dhuleti, Dhulandi, or Phagwah.
Holi is an essential spring celebration for Hindus, a national occasion in India, a provincial occasion in Nepal and different nations. To numerous Hindus and some non-Hindus, it is a perky social occasion and a reason to toss shaded water at companions or outsiders jokingly. It is along these lines watched extensively in the Indian subcontinent.
The celebration has numerous reasons, most noticeably, it commends the start of Spring. In seventeenth century writing, it was recognized as a celebration that praised agribusiness, remembered great spring harvests and the prolific land. Hindus trust it is a period of making the most of spring's bounteous hues and saying goodbye to winter. To numerous Hindus, Holi celebrations stamp the start of the new year and also an event to reset and recharge burst connections, end clashes and free themselves of gathered passionate polluting influences from the past.
Significance of bonfire for Holi and Story of Holika
Holi is spread out over two days. On the first day, bonfire is created and on the second day, holi is played with colors and water. In some places, it is played for five days, the fifth day is called Ranga Panchami. Holi bonfire is known as Holika Dahan also Kamudu pyre is celebrated by burning Holika, the devil. For many traditions in Hinduism, Holi celebrates the death of Holika in order to save Prahlad, and thus Holi gets its name. In olden days, people use to contribute a piece of wood or two for Holika bonfire.
Holika (होलिका) was a demoness in Hindu Vedic scriptures, who was burnt to death with help of God Vishnu. She was the sister of King Hiranyakashipu and aunt of Prahlad.
The story of Holika dahan (Holika’s death) signifies the triumph of good over evil. Holika is associated with the annual bonfire on the night before Holi, the Hindu festival of colors.
According to Bhagavat purana, there was a king named Hiranyakashipu who, like a lot of demons and Asuras, had the intense desire to be immortal. To fulfill this desire he performed the required Tapas (penance) until he was granted a boon by Brahma. Since the God’s do not usually grant the boon of immortality, he used his guile and cunning to get a boon which he thought made him immortal. The boon gave Hiranyakashyapu five special powers: he could be killed by neither a human being nor an animal, neither indoors nor outdoors, neither at day nor at night, neither by astra (weapons that are launched) nor by any shastra (weapons that are hand held), and neither on land nor in water or air. As this wish was granted, Hiranyakashyapu felt he was invincible, which made him arrogant. Hiranyakashyapu decreed that only he be worshiped as a God, punished and killed anyone who did not accept his orders. His son Prahlad disagreed with his father, and refused to worship his father as a god. He continued believing and worshipping Lord Vishnu.
Hiranyakashipu is said to be the brother of Hiranyaksha. Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyaksha are Vishnu’s gatekeepers Jaya and Vijaya, born on earth as the result of a curse from the Four KumarasThis made Hiranyakashipu very angry and he made various attempts to kill Prahlad. During a particular attempt on Prahlad’s life, King Hiranyakashyapu called upon his sister Holika for help. Holika had a special cloak garment that prevented her from being harmed by fire. Hiranyakashyapu asked her to sit on a bonfire with Prahlad, by tricking the boy to sit on her lap. However, as the fire roared, the garment flew from Holika and covered Prahlad. Holika burnt to death, Prahlad came out unharmed.
Hiranyaksha was killed by Lord Vishnu’s 3rd Incarnation which was Varaha. and Hiranyakashipu was later killed by Lord Vishnu’s 4th Incarnation which was Narasimha.
Tradition
The night before Holi pyres are burnt in North India, Nepal and parts of South India in keeping with this tradition. The youth playfully steal all sorts of things and put them in Holika pyre.
The festival has many purposes; most prominently, it celebrates the beginning of Spring. In 17th century literature, it was identified as a festival that celebrated agriculture, commemorated good spring harvests and the fertile land. Hindus believe it is a time of enjoying spring’s abundant colours and saying farewell to winter. Holi festivities mark the beginning of new year to many Hindus, as well as a justification to reset and renew ruptured relationships, end conflicts and accumulated emotional impurities from past.
Prepare Holika pyre for bonfire
Days before the festival people start gathering wood and combustible materials for the bonfire in parks, community centers, near temples and other open spaces. On top of the pyre is an effigy to signify Holika who tricked Prahalad into the fire. Inside homes, people stock up on color pigments, food, party drinks and festive seasonal foods such as gujiya, mathri, malpuas and other regional delicacies.
On the eve of Holi, typically at or after sunset, the pyre is lit, signifying Holika Dahan. The ritual symbolises the victory of good over evil. People sing and dance around the fire.
The next day people play Holi, the popular festival of colors.
Reason for Holika burning
The burning of Holika is the most common mythological explanation for the celebration of Holi. In different parts of India varying reasons are given for Holika’s death. Among those are:
- Vishnu stepped in and hence Holika burnt.
- Holika was given the power by the Brahma on the understanding that it can never be used to bring harm to anyone.
- Holika was a good person and it was the clothes that she wore that gave her the power and knowing that what was happening was wrong, she gave them to Prahlad and hence died herself.
- Holika wore a shawl that would protect her from fire. So when she was asked to sit in the fire with Prahlad she put on the shawl and sat Prahlad down in her lap. When the fire was lit Prahlad began praying to Lord Vishnu. So Lord Vishnu summoned a gust of wind to blow the shawl off of Holika and on to Prahlad, saving him from the flames of the bonfire and burning Holika to her death
The next day is known as Color holi or Dhulheti where people play with colors and water spraying pichkaris.
Each Holi colour signifies a special emotion that transcends the brightly coloured faces of people to a sentiment of community, equality and oneness.
- Red: Purity
- Orange: Endurance
- Purple: Magic
- Blue: Calmness
- Green: Vitality
- Yellow: Happiness
- Pink: Love
Traditional sources of colours
Orange and red
The blossoms of palash or tesu tree, additionally called the fire of the backwoods, are commonplace wellspring of brilliant red and profound orange hues. Powdered fragrant red shoe wood, dried hibiscus blooms, madder tree, radish and pomegranate are substitute sources and shades of red. Blending lime with turmeric powder makes a substitute wellspring of orange powder, as does bubbling saffron (kesar) in water.
Green
Mehendi and dried leaves of gulmohur tree offer a wellspring of green shading. In a few zones, the leaves of spring yields and herbs have been utilized as wellspring of green color.
Yellow
Haldi (turmeric) powder is the run of the mill wellspring of yellow shading. Once in a while this is blended with chickpeas, gram or other flour to get the correct shade. Bael organic product, amaltas, types of chrysanthemums, and types of marigold are exchange wellsprings of yellow.
Blue
Indigo plant, Indian berries, types of grapes, blue hibiscus and jacaranda blooms are conventional wellsprings of blue shading for Holi.
Magenta and purple
Beetroot is the customary wellspring of maroon and purple shading. Frequently these are straightforwardly bubbled in water to get ready shaded water.
Brown
Dried tea leaves offer a wellspring of dark colored shaded water. Certain muds are substitute wellspring of dark colored.
Black
Types of grapes, products of amla (gooseberry) and vegetable carbon (charcoal) offer dim to dark hues.
Holi powder
Synthetic colours
Common hues were utilized as a part of the past to observe Holi securely by applying turmeric, sandalwood glue, concentrates of blossoms and takes off. As the spring-blooming trees that once provided the hues used to observe Holi have turned out to be more uncommon, synthetically delivered mechanical colors have been utilized to have their spot in all of urban India. Because of the business accessibility of alluring shades, gradually the common hues are supplanted by manufactured hues. Thus, it has made gentle extreme side effects of skin disturbance and irritation. Absence of control over the quality and substance of these hues is an issue, as they are as often as possible sold by merchants who don't have the foggiest idea about their source.
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