Popular Stories Associated with Holi Festival
The festival of Holi is amongst one of the ancient festivals celebrated in the country. The word Holi literally means ‘burning’. Thus, on the eve of Holi, a bonfire is conducted indicating the triumph of devotion and good over evil. The festival of colours is celebrated every year on the full moon day of the Phalgun month, as per the Hindu calendar. This year, Holi will be celebrated on 17th March across all parts of the country.
There are a lot of legendary stories associated with the festival of Holi. However, the most popular story amongst them is related to Prince Prahlad, who was an ardent follower of Lord Vishnu. According to the legends, there was a powerful demon king, Hiranyakashyap who claimed to be the real God and wanted that everybody should worship him. He used to punish all those who worshiped any other God besides him. However, his own son, Prahlad disobeyed him as he was a true devotee of Lord Vishnu. This infuriated Hiranyakashyap. Moreover, Hiranyakashyap wanted to take revenge from Lord Vishnu, who killed his younger brother. Thus, Hiranyakashyap made various attempts to get his son killed. He asked his sister Holika, who was immune to fire to sit in the blazing fire with Prahlad in her lap, so that they could burn Prahlad. But, their attempt went in vain as Prahlad remained safe because he was reciting the name of Lord Vishnu throughout. However, Holika was burnt to ashes and died in the fire. Thus, on this festival there is a tradition of burning Holika, popularly known as ‘Holika Dahan’.
Holi is particularly associated with colours and this association dates back to the era of Lord Krishna-reincarnation of Lord Vishnu. It is believed that Lord Krishna used to play with colours to celebrate the festival of Holi. Thus, since then, this festival is celebrated using bright colours.
Also Visit : GUJIA Recipes with Koya and Coconut Filling for Holi
Traditional Celebrations
Even though Holi is celebrated in most parts of the country, the celebration style differ in different states, reflecting regional influence in their customs and traditions. Colours, sweets, water balloons, water guns are an essential part of the Holi, without which the celebrations remain incomplete. People apply colours on each other’s faces, hug each other and wish ‘Happy Holi’.
The festival is also celebrated in the north eastern towns of Punjab in Anandpur Sahib and Kiratpur Sahib and is familiarized with the name ‘Hola Mahalla’, meaning ‘mock fight’, wherein the Sikhs demonstrate martial arts in the form of simulated battles. This festival was started by Sri Guru Gobind Singh, tenth Sikh Guru, permitting the Sikhs to conduct mock battles and practice their military exercises. The sheer significance of celebrating this festival is to remind human beings that enjoyment of life should be accompanied with the responsibility towards the society and consistent efforts to improve oneself. This Sikh festival is observed on the first day of the lunar month of Chet, according to the Nanakshahi calendar.
Tips to celebrate Holi at home:
Parents should make their children aware of all the festivals and tell them about the significance behind their celebrations. Listed below are a few tips to celebrate Holi at home with your children:
- Narrate the legendary story associated with the celebration of Holi.
- Together with your children watch the Holika Dahan in your locality.
- Teach them popular Holi songs such as-‘Holi ke dine dil khil jaate hain, rangon mein rang mil jaate hain’, ‘Holi khele raghuveera avadh mein, holi khele raghuveera’ etc.
- Apply ample cream on face and hands before & after playing with colours.
- Oil your hair well so that the colour doesn’t stick on your hair.
- Wear full-sleeves clothes to cover maximum part of the body.
- Use organic colours to play Holi.
- Prepare special delicacies such as gujiyas, Thandai, dahi bhallas etc.
So, use the above tips to celebrate a safe and eco-friendly Holi with your family and friends.
Happy Holi..!!
