Holi – The Rejoicing Festival of North India
Festivals all over the world are means of expression of joy. But “Holi” the delightful festival of riotous colors is unique to India, especially North India. India is a country of multi-cultures, languages, ethnic groups, innumerable segments and sub-sects of castes within the Hindu faith, food habits, life-styles, dresses and attires distinct to each State – but all of them are forgotten on occasions like “Holi”, proving to the world once again how people could live together in peace with unity in diversity.
Of all the reasons behind “Holi” the strikingly different one the forefathers of India thought fit to celebrate it is – this is a mass celebration of people in a village, in a locality or part of town to greet each other, chase each other funnily and apply riotous colors on everybody’s face and laugh away all the differences between them. There can be no other festival in comparison in any country, where such mass celebration outside individual houses takes place.
Otherwise there are other reasons for the “Holi” from Hindu mythology, of which different versions are there. Prahalada, a child devotee of Lord Vishnu, born to the father Hiranyakashib, who is disturbing the world with his arrogant actions, paves way for his destruction by none other than the Lord. Mahavishnu takes the avatar of Narasimha – a lion with human body and kills the brute. Prahalada is subjected to many tortures by his father, including throwing him in fire along with his sister demon Holika who is immune to fire. But ultimately by God’s grace, the evil burns into fire while Prahalada comes out unscathed. Some people say “Holi” is for rejoicing the destruction of evil Holika and so bone-fires are part of Holi.
Still some people relate Holi with the eternal love of Radha and Krishna, the mythological characters of the Lord Vishnu and is celebrated with much fan fare at Mathura, Vrindavan etc. What ever the reason behind Holi, it comes on the next of full moon in the month of March – the beginning of pleasant Summer after the grip of cold Winter in North India – the real reason for rejoicing by one and all. This month, Holi is scheduled at Wednesday, 11th of March 2009.
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nice pic.
very well written about this festival.
i really like this festival.