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| Holi festival and the throwing of colored powders. (Photo is in the public domain by unknown.) |
Holi (pronounced “hoh-lee”) is a Hindu spring festival, celebrating the end of winter and the coming spring. There are different traditions associated with the festival, but the most prolific and recognizable is that of throwing colored powder (gulal) and colored water – creating a magical atmosphere of celebration!
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| Holi being celebrated in Sangla. Photo by Piyush Choudhary. |
Holi is celebrated during the last full moon of the month of Phalguna (which lies around February-March on English calendar). During the festival, people temporary dispense of the separations of caste, gender, age, and status. The festival is particularly important to the worship of the gods Krishna and Vishna.
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| Holi being celebrated in Sangla. Photo by Piyush Choudhary. |
The stories and traditions of the festival can vary, but one of the central myths involves the demoness Holi (also called Holika). It is said that her brother, the demon Hiranyakashipu, demanded that everyone to worship only him. However, his son Prahlada refused to give up his devotion to Vishnu. Holi, believed to be invincible to heat and flame, picked up Prahlada and carried him into a roaring fire. Vishnu did not forsake his devotee however and saved Prahlada by allowing him to escape the fire unharmed while Holi was burnt to ashes. This is why one of the traditions of the Holi festival is to create a bonfire and items are thrown into it which represent sickness and impurities.
The fun, merry nature of the festival reflects the playfulness of Krishna, as he frolicked with the gopis, the wives and daughters of cowherds.
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| A painting by an unknown artist from the 19the century, showing Radha, Krishna, and friends celebrating Holi. |
By the end of the festival, the order of social hierarchy is restored and the negativity of the past year is burned away, leaving the colors of spring abounding, both throughout nature and on the bodies of revelers themselves who joyously welcome the coming season.
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| A painting from an unknown artist from around 1790 CE, depicting Krishna and gopis celebrating Holi. |
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| Devotees inside the Krishan temple in Nandgaon. Photo by Narender9. |
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| Holi celebration in India. Photo by Ramesh Lalwani. |
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| Holi festival. Photo in the public domain. |
REFERENCES:
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Holi". Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 Mar. 2021, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Holi. Accessed 28 March 2021.
Choudhary, Piyush. File:Himachali people celebrating Holi on the streets.jpg - Meta (wikimedia.org)
Garner, Steven. “2014 Festival of Colors in Spanish Fork, UT at the Sri Sir Radha Krishna Temple.” Wikiemedia.org. https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Holi_-_Festival_of_Colors_2014.jpg
Lalwani, Ramesh. “Times of India and Krishna Prerna Charitable Trust organised 6th edition of Raasrang Holi Utsav at Delhi Haat.” File:Braj Ki holi-004.jpg - Meta (wikimedia.org)
MacDonald, Margaret Read, editor. The Folklore of World Holidays. Detroit, MI: Gale Research Inc., 1992.
Narender9. “A scene of devotes inside Krishan temple Nandgaon.” Wikimedia.org. https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Barsana_Holi_Festival.jpg
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Holi". Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 Mar. 2021, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Holi. Accessed 28 March 2021.
Choudhary, Piyush. File:Himachali people celebrating Holi on the streets.jpg - Meta (wikimedia.org)
Garner, Steven. “2014 Festival of Colors in Spanish Fork, UT at the Sri Sir Radha Krishna Temple.” Wikiemedia.org. https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Holi_-_Festival_of_Colors_2014.jpg
Lalwani, Ramesh. “Times of India and Krishna Prerna Charitable Trust organised 6th edition of Raasrang Holi Utsav at Delhi Haat.” File:Braj Ki holi-004.jpg - Meta (wikimedia.org)
MacDonald, Margaret Read, editor. The Folklore of World Holidays. Detroit, MI: Gale Research Inc., 1992.
Narender9. “A scene of devotes inside Krishan temple Nandgaon.” Wikimedia.org. https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Barsana_Holi_Festival.jpg
tags: hindu, hinduism, festival of love, spring, spring festivals, spring equinox, world holidays
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