Holi: Encyclopedia - Holi

Holi

Holi or Phagwah (Bhojpuri) is an annual Hindu spring festival. It takes place over two days around late March or early April on a Purnima (or Pooranmashi) Full Moon as per the Hindu calendar. It is also called the festival of color. On the first day, a bonfire is lit at night to signify the burning of Holika. On the second day, known as Dhulandi, people go around until afternoon throwing colors at each other and meet and have fun. A special drink called 'thandai' or bhang (Cannabis sativa) is also consumed sometimes, which actually contains small amounts of marijuana to make the festival more enjoyable. People invite each other to their houses for feasts and celebrations later in evenings. Rangapanchami occurs a few days later on a Panchami (fifth day of the full moon), marking the end of festivities involving colors.

Holi - Mythology

In Hindu mythology, Hiranyakashipu was the king of demons, and he had been granted a boon by Brahma, which made it almost impossible for him to be killed. The boon was due to his long penance, after which he had demanded that he not be killed 'during day or night; inside the home or outside; not on earth or on sky, neither by a man nor an animal'. Consequently, he grew arrogant, and attacked the Heavens and Earth. He demanded that people stop worshipping gods and start praying to him. But his own son, Prahlad, was a devotee of Lord Vishnu. In spite of several threats from Hiranyakashipu, Prahlad continued offering prayers to Lord Vishnu. Getting angry with his son, Hiranyakashipu tried various ways of killing him, but failed. Ultimately he ordered young Prahlad to sit on a pyre on the lap of his sister Holika, who could not die by fire by virtue of a shawl which if worn would not let the person wearing be affected by fire. Prahlad readily accepted the challenge, and prayed to Vishnu to keep him safe. When the fire started, everyone watched in amazement as the shawl flew from Holika, who, then was burnt to death, while Prahlad survived without a scar to show for it, after the shawl moved on to cover him. The burning of Holika is celebrated as Holi.

In Vrindavan and Mathura the festival is still celebrated for 16 days (until Rangpanchmi in commemoration of the divine love of Radha for Krishna). Lord Krishna is believed to have popularized the festival by playing pranks on the gopis here. Krishna is believed to be complained about his dark color and Radha's fair color to his mother and so decided to apply color to her face. The celebrations officially usher in spring, the celebrated season of love.

There is another story about the origin of holi. The Kamadeva is God of love. Kama's body was destroyed when he shot his weapon at Shiva in order to disrupt his penance and help Parvati to marry Shiva. Shiva then opened his third eye, the gaze of which was so powerful that Kama's body was reduced to ashes. For the sake of Kama's wife Rati (passion), Shiva restored him, but only as a mental image, representing the true emotional and mental state of love rather than physical lust. The Holi bonfire is believed to be celebrated in commeration of this event.

Holi - External link

• ReligionFacts.com: Holi - History, meaning, customs and observances.
• Holi Legends - Learn the history and legends behind this playful east Indian holiday.
• Holi - The Festival of Colours - Legends behind Holi and Color Celebrations
• Holi - Know more about Holi, Importance of holi in India
• BBC Holi - BBC article on Holi

Categories: Hindu holy days | Indian festivals

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Holi", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki