- Written by Samiksha Roy
Holi is one of the most famous and celebrated festivals in India and among the Hindu community worldwide. It’s often called “the festival of colours” since the whole festival is about splashing colours unto each other and celebrating the different shades of life. It’s also called the “festival of love” as on this day people get to unite together forgetting all their resentments and all types of bad feelings towards each other. Apart from these names, its also called the “ festival of spring” since it signifies the arrival of spring and blossoming of flowers. The festival also celebrates the beginning of a good harvest season and as a show of gratitude to the abundant harvest season.
The great Indian festival lasts for a day and a night, which starts in the evening of Purnima or the Full Moon Day in the month of Falgun. It is celebrated with the name Holika Dahan or Choti Holi on the first evening of the festival and the following day is called Holi. In different parts of the country, it is known with different names like Holi, Rangwali, Dhuleti, Dhulandi, Phagwah, Dolyatra. This festival commemorates the victory of good over evil which is drawn from ancient Hindu mythology.
The basic history behind the festival is the defeat of demoness named Holika, who was burnt alive by Lord Vishnu, one of the trideva in Hinduism. However, the name “Holi” comes from childhood mischievous activities done by Lord Krishna, a reincarnation of Lord Vishnu again who used to prank on village girls or “gopis” by drenching them in water or putting colours at their faces. Traditional Holi celebrations are the biggest at Mathura and Vrindavan, about four hours from Delhi, where Lord Krishna is believed to have grown up.
The way in which the festival is celebrated is full of fun and frolic. People play with colours in the open streets and grounds. Water guns and water-filled balloons are also used to play and colour each other. Anyone and everyone are their game, friend or stranger, rich or poor, man or woman, children, and elders. It’s a time for reunion among families, friends and the loved ones. It’s also that time of the year we. A lot of delicious food and drinks are made, out of which some are especially associated with Holi like Thandai, which is a refreshing drink made out of milk, cream and nuts. Bhang, is another drink made out of a paste made from cannabis plants, is also traditionally consumed as part of the celebrations. Sweets like jalebis and gujiya are made mandatorily along with snacks like samosas.
Similar to Holi, the Dol Jatra celebrations in West Bengal and Odisha are dedicated to Lord Krishna. However, the mythology is different. The festival celebrates the love that Krishna is believed to have expressed to Radha on that day. Idols of Radha and Krishna are carried around in procession on specially decorated palanquins. Devotees take turns swinging them. The idols are also smeared with coloured powder.
Traditionally, gulal’s are used as colours for Holi and it has scientific importance attached to it since it is made up of ayurvedic products like Neem, kumkum, turmeric or Haldi which are often recommended by Ayurveda doctors. Many colours are obtained by mixing primary colours. Artisans produce and sell many of the colours from natural sources in dry powder form, in weeks and months, preceding Holi.
This festival has the power to unite people and this is what happens every time as people from different religions, class, caste, regions and nationalities come together to celebrate this festival. It diminishes all the boundaries and this is what the message of every festival is all about. This year, Holi was scheduled for 10th of March, but it was not celebrated with much pomp and enthusiasm due to threats of community spread from coronavirus or COVID-19 as its being famously said. The prime minister of India, Mr Narendra Modi tweeted before Holi that he won’t be celebrating Holi this time and this was encapsulated by many of his ministers and state governments across the country. Appeals were made to not celebrate Holi this time by many organisations and media houses. However, more than celebrating a festival, what matters is that we imbibe the values from it in its latter and spirit. If we all start to do adopt by the values of empathy, friendship, forgiveness then the world will surely be a better place then what it is now.
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