The Festival of Colors: Significance and Celebrations of Holi

 Happy Holi

Today, on March 8, 2023, Holi, the festival of colors, is being celebrated with great fanfare across the country (India) and the world. In the festival of Holi, Hindus celebrate this grand festival with their friends, family and neighbors by applying color on each other's face, throwing water balloons, using toy guns filled with water. On this day, people celebrate this festival by making delicious Gujia-like sweets in their homes and serving them to their friends, neighbors and relatives. On the day of this festival, people go to each other's house and congratulate people. In this era of technology, people also send wishes to their loved ones through WhatsApp, Facebook and other social media platforms.

Photo of Me, My Son and Brother Celebrating Holi

Holi is considered one of the most joyous festivals of the Hindus. Along with Hindus in India, people of other religions also celebrate this festival well. It is also called the festival of brotherhood in India, because on this day people forget all kinds of resentment towards each other and unite together to celebrate Holi.

The festival of Holi lasts for one day and one night, starting in the evening on the full moon day in the month of Phalgun. On the first day of this festival, Holika Dahan or Chhoti Holi is celebrated in the evening and on the next day, Holi is celebrated with colors from morning till 12 noon.

Hindus believe that this festival of colors brings a lot of positivity in life. In this festival, the ritual of lighting a bonfire is performed on the day of Holika Dahan and the process is said to symbolize the victory of good over evil.

Why is the festival of Holi celebrated?

Holi is an ancient festival of the Hindus, and was celebrated by the names Holi, Holika or Holaka. It is also called Vasantotsav and Kama-Mahotsav because it is celebrated with enthusiasm in the spring season.

Many stories are associated with this festival, the most famous of which is the story of Prahlada, the son of the demon Hiranyakashipu. It is believed that in ancient times there was a very powerful demon named Hiranyakashipu, who, being very powerful, started considering himself as God. The demon Hiranyakashipu had banned the taking of the name of God in his kingdom. Prahlada, the son of Hiranyakashipu, was a devotee of God. Enraged by Prahlad's devotion to God, Hiranyakashipu punished his son severely, but he did not leave the path of devotion to God. Hiranyakashipu's sister Holika was blessed by God that she could never be consumed in fire. Hiranyakashipu ordered that Holika sit in the fire with Prahlad in her lap. Holika got burnt while sitting in the fire, but Prahlad did not get burnt and survived. That's why Holi is lit on this day in the memory of Prahlada, a devotee of God. It is also a belief that Prahlada means joy. Holika, the symbol of oppression, burns and Prahlad, the symbol of love and gaiety, remains intact.

Apart from this, the festival of Holi is also associated with the reincarnation of Radha Krishna and Kamdev. It is also believed that by applying color to each other in Holi, people dress up as devotees of Lord Shiva and create a procession of Lord Shiva. Some people are also of the opinion that Lord Krishna had killed a terrible demon named Putna on this day. In this happiness, the gopis and cowherds of Lord Krishna performed Rasleela and played Holi by applying colors to each other.

Historians are of the opinion that there was a trend of celebrating Holi festival in Ireland as well, but this festival was mostly celebrated in Eastern India only. The description of Holi is marked in many religious books like Jaimini's Poorva Mimamsa-Sutra and Katha Garhya-Sutra. The mention of this festival is also found in the texts of Narada Purana and Bhavishya Purana.

When India was ruled by the Mughals, this festival was not banned, but some Mughal emperors, including Akbar, Humayun, Jahangir, Shah Jahan and Bahadur Shah Zafar, etc., used to celebrate this festival with great fanfare along with Hindus and invited guests to the palace. They used to organize gatherings of Mushairas, Qawwalis and dance-songs. Mehfil-e-Holi during Jahangir's time, Eid Gulabi program was organized during Shahjahan's time. On this occasion, the people present there celebrated the festival of Holi by applying color on the king. Bahadurshah Zafar used to play Holi with great passion and his poetic compositions regarding Holi are appreciated till date. The description of Emperor Akbar playing Holi with Jodhabai and Jahangir with Noor Jahan is found in books.

This festival is celebrated every year in the month of Falgun, hence this festival is also called Falguni. Holi is celebrated throughout the month of Phalgun in Kumaon, Uttarakhand state. Here people gather at a religious place in the evening to sing Holi songs and celebrate the festival of Holi by dancing to the beats of Dholak on those songs.