ॐ सांई
राम
Holi, or Holli (Sanskrit: होली), is a spring religious
festival celebrated by Hindus. It is primarily observed in India, Nepal, Sri
Lanka, and countries with large Indic diaspora populations, such as Suriname,
Malaysia, Guyana, South Africa, Trinidad, United Kingdom, United States,
Mauritius, and Fiji. In West Bengal and Orissa of India it is known as
Dolyatra (Doul Jatra) or Basanta-Utsav ("spring festival"). The
most celebrated Holi is that of the Braj region, in locations connected to the
god Krishna: Mathura, Vrindavan, Nandagaon, and Barsana. These places have
become tourist destinations during the festive season of Holi, which lasts here
to up to sixteen days.
The main day, Holi, also known as Dhuli Vandana in
Sanskrit,also Dhulheti, Dhulandi or Dhulendi, is celebrated
by people throwing coloured powder and coloured water at each other. Bonfires
are lit the day before, also known as Holika Dahan (burning of Holika) or
Chhoti Holi (little Holi). The bonfires are lit in memory of the
miraculous escape that young Prahlad accomplished when Demoness Holika, sister
of Hiranyakashipu, carried him into the fire. Holika was burnt but Prahlad, a
staunch devotee of god Vishnu, escaped without any injuries due to his
unshakable devotion. Holika Dahan is referred to as Kama Dahanam in South
India.
Holi is celebrated at the end of
the winter season on the last full moon day of the lunar month Phalguna
(February/March), (Phalgun Purnima), which usually falls in the later part of
February or March. In 2009, Holi (Dhulandi) was on March 11 and Holika
Dahan was on March 10. In 2010, Holi was on March 1 and Holika Dahan was on
February 28.
This Year 2011
Holi Holi (Dhulandi) on March 20 and Holika Dahan on March
19
Rangapanchami occurs a
few days later on a Panchami (fifth day of the full moon), marking the end of
festivities involving colours.
In
Vaishnava Theology, Hiranyakashipu is the great 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; neither by astra nor by shastra". Consequently,
he grew arrogant and attacked the Heavens and the Earth. He demanded that people
stop worshipping gods and start praying to him.
Despite this, Hiranyakashipu's own son, Prahlada, was a
devotee of Lord Vishnu. In spite of several threats from Hiranyakashipu,
Prahlada continued offering prayers to Lord Vishnu. He was poisoned but the
poison turned to nectar in his mouth. He was ordered to be trampled by elephants
yet remained unharmed. He was put in a room with hungry, poisonous snakes and
survived. All of Hiranyakashipu's attempts to kill his son failed. Finally, he
ordered young Prahlada to sit on a pyre on the lap of his demoness sister,
Holika, who could not die because she also had a boon which would prevent fire
from burning her. Prahlada readily accepted his father's orders, and prayed to
Vishnu to keep him safe. When the fire started, everyone watched in amazement as
Holika burnt to death, while Prahlada survived unharmed, the burning of Holika
is celebrated as Holi.
Radha and the Gopis celebrating Holi, with accompaniment
of music instruments
Later
Lord Vishnu came in the form of a Narasimha (who is half-man and half-lion) and
killed Hiranyakashipu at dusk (which was neither day nor night), on the steps of
the porch of his house (which was neither inside the house nor outside) by
restraining him on his lap (which is neither in the sky nor on the earth) and
mauling him with his claws (which are neither astra nor
shastra).
In Vrindavan and Mathura,
where Lord Krishna grew up, the festival is 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 have complained to his mother about the
contrast between his dark skin complexion and Radha's (Shakti or energy that
drives the world) fair skin complexion. Krishna's mother decided to apply colour
to Radha's face. The celebrations officially usher in spring, the celebrated
season of love.
There is alternative
story detailing the origin of Holi. This story is about Kamadeva, a god of love.
Kama's body was destroyed when he shot his weapon at Shiva in order to disrupt
his meditation 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 spiritual state of love rather than
physical lust. The Holi bonfire is believed to be celebrated in commemoration of
this event.
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