HOLI!!!!!
It is a Hindu festival which is celebrated to welcome spring. Entire India wears this festive look for the celebration. People are in full shopping mood for colours, gulal and sweets. Children use pichakris to shoot others playfully with water.
The women make this awesome sweets like gujiya, and mathris for their family and friends. People also enjoy this tradition of consuming bhaang. Its so much fun to watch always sober people to enjoy to their fullest. (Though don’t consume too much of it as it is not good for health and it will also destroy the spirit of the festival)
Also known as “The spring festival”, it makes each and every one elated. This festival marks the end of those chilly nights as it promises the arrival of bright summer days. Nature too enjoys it as the lands get flourished with crops and the fragrance of the flowers fill the air.
History of the Festival
This festival has a lot of legends associated with it. The most prominent of all is the legend associated with demon king Hiranyakashyap. He wanted each and every one in his kingdom to worship him and only him. To his disappointment his son, Prahlad became a true devotee of Lord Vishnu. Hiranyakashyap had a sister named Holika who had a boon that she was immune to fire. So, Hiranyakashyap commanded Holika to sit in a blazing fire with Prahlad in her lap. What they didn’t know was that the boon only worked when she was alone in the fire and hence, she was burned into ashes. The story goes that Prahlad was saved by Lord Vishnu himself. The festival, therefore, celebrates the victory of good over evil and also the triumph of devotion. Since then, people light a bonfire called the Holika on the eve of Holi to end the evil.
Legend of Lord Krishna is also associated with play with colours as he started this wonderful tradition of playing with colours by applying gulal on his beloved Radha and other gopis.
There are also a few other legends associated with the festival – like the legend of Shiva and Kaamadeva and those of Ogress Dhundhi and Pootana. All depict triumph of good over evil – lending a philosophy to the festival.
An ecstasy festival
After a fun filled and exciting day, the evenings the spent with friends and relatives where they meet and greet each other with warm wishes and sweets.
It is said the spirit of Holi encourages the feeling of brotherhood in society and even the enemies turn friend on this day. People of all communities and even religions participate in this joyous and colourful festival and strengthen the secular fabric of the nation.
Hope all of you have a colourful and sweet Holi.
Signing Off
The Woman Of Words
Sign up