This unique festival is also known to be the festival of love. The immortal divine love between Krishna and Radha is exemplified in this festival of Holi in certain Hindu scriptures. Krishna was asking his mother Yashoda whether beautiful Radha likes his dark colour.
by Pradip Kumar Dutta
Like every year,the joyous Festival of Colours has returned. Its just knocking at the door. This is a Hindu religious festival which also has a cultural fervour and is widely celebrated in the South Asian countries India,Bangladesh,Nepal,Pakistan and countries having population of Subcontinental origin like Fiji, Mauritius,Suriname,Gayana, Trinidad &Tobago,Thailand. We find the festival being celebrated in other countries of the world with South Asian diaspora.
There are many aspects of this great festival. Let's discuss what is this festival about. Firstly, festival of colours is celebrated to usher in the great season of Spring after the winter days. It is observed on the Poornima(Full moon day)of Falgun(the beginning month of spring per Indian calender/Panjika). It has been observed in the Indian subcontinent since ancient times. We get reference of Holi in ancient Hindu scriptures such as Bhagabad Purana. On this day,to express happiness and to exemplify solidarity amongst people,rich or poor,young or old,male or female,strong or weak and going beyond the boundaries of social barriers; people put powdered colours of different hue on each other. Specially the faces become multicoloured,a treat to watch. They also drench each other with coloured water,so the dresses are not spared either. So,one takes care not to wear expensive dresses of choice on that day,so as not to spoil it. Rather a less expensive variant of dress is chosen which may be saved as a souvenir of the day. People put colours (at the feet of elders as a mark of respect and on the face and cheek of equals and youngers)on their family members at home first. Then they come out to the streets and its a free for all affair. Some enthusiastic people even come out in groups and processions with drums,other percussion instruments,flutes and whistles and everyone in the streets join the merry making. You hear drums beating, whistles blowing and slogans
" Bura na maano,Holi hai( Take no offense,it is Holi today)". This slogan gives them license,so to say,to be a little wild in their celebrations which include,playing loud music on the streets, singing and dancing, throwing colours (powdered and liquid) at each other and enjoying themselves. As if, it is a carnival of some sorts,though not well organised ones as in the Rio streets during Brazilian Carnival. In the ancient days the colours used were all natural,like neem,haldi(turmeric),neel(indigo),etc.which had some healing effects. With the advent of time,chemical colours of different choice is available,some of which are harmful. So, Government authorities in many countries,mainly India,puts restrictions on the dyes,noise pollution and restricts too much crowd on the streets to prevent untoward incidents. Nevertheless,the equality amongst people in the above-mentioned style of celebration is unique and it is carried forward through ages unabeted.
These celebrations go on till late mid-day. Then people get back home for cleaning themselves of the accumulation of colours on their faces,hair and exposed parts of the body,have a refreshing shower and assemble around dining tables for a good meal. In the second half of the day they wear new dresses,visit relatives and friends and offer sweets and good food to each other. Of course,evenings are meant for great parties. On this day many people shake hands with others with whom they had differences/problems earlier, to mend fences and to start a friendship anew. One can not but agree that mother Nature offers her colours of different flowers to encourage people to indulge in their celebrations of happiness during this spring festival.
Holi is also regarded as a festival of the triumph of good over evil. In Hindu scriptures we come across the story of Hiranyakashipu,the demon king and his son Prahlad,the righteous, pious youth,a stern Vishnu devotee. Hiranyakashipu was a powerful demon king who by his devotion,penance and meditation achieved several boons. No man or woman could kill him. He may not be killed during the day or night. He could not be killed indoors or outdoors.He would not be killed by any weapon. With these boons,he had such immense power that he became the virtual ruler of the whole universe. He thought himself to be invincible. As such,he grew to be a tyrant giant of a ruler and started equating himself to God. He ordered everyone to pray in his name and forget the God. All his subjects,unwilling though were subdued but not his son Prahlad. The young boy had unflinching faith in Lord Vishnu and always chanted Narayana's name. Infuriated, Hiranyakashipu sent his evil sister Holika to kill Prahlad. A big pyre was arranged. Holika,as if,to comfort her nephew, took him on her lap and sat on the pyre. She was wearing a fire proof dress whereas poor Prahlad knew nothing. Holika signalled her men to put the fire on. As the fire engulfed the pyre, suddenly Lord Vishnu sent Pavan Deva(God of winds).A gust of wind took off the fire proof dress of Holika and wrapped the same around Prahlad. Holika was burned alive and Prahlad escaped unharmed. Later Hiranyakashipu was killed by Lord Vishnu in his Avatar form of Narasimha Narayana(half man and half lion),who killed Hiranyakashipu with the lion claws(not a regular weapon),during sunset(neither day nor night),on a doorstep(neither indoors nor outdoors).
To immortalise this religious aspect of Holi in most of the places Holika Dahan is an integral part of the festivities. A stuffed huge Holika is made of combustible materials and a pyre is set with firewood and all rubbish in the evening prior to the Holi day. With much enthusiasm the youth of the locality burn the effigy of Holika amidst victorious mood. This Holika Dahan is the preparatory phase of Holi.All rubbish is put into the fire which indicates cleaning the area around as a sign of awareness to improved environment. It is also taken as a sign of getting rid of all vices and impurities in mind.
This unique festival is also known to be the festival of love. The immortal divine love between Krishna and Radha is exemplified in this festival of Holi in certain Hindu scriptures. Krishna was asking his mother Yashoda whether beautiful Radha likes his dark colour. On His mother's advice,Sri Krishna went to meet Sri Radha with different colours,so that she can put any colour she likes on Kishanji's face. Accordingly,Sri Krishna went to meet Radhaji, who put colours of her choice on Sri Krishna. Her friends,the Gopikas were there and all of them participated in the fun which is celebrated as Doljatra by followers of Vaishnavism till date,mostly in Braja areas of Mathura/Vrindavan,Bengal,Assam,Manipur and Tripura.
Besides, we find another version of Holi story,that Shaiva(followers of Lord Shiva) believe in. That too depicts Holi as a festival of love. The story involves Lord Shiva, Devi Parvati the Lord's consort,Kamdeva and his consort Rati.
In some areas the festival coincides with the harvest of Rabi crop. This is a short term crop sown in the winter and harvested in spring.
Though a predominantly Hindu festival,it is celebrated by the Jains,Sikhs and some Buddhists as well. With it's vibration, uniqueness,riot of colours,music and dance,diversity of food, enjoyment,it has become a universal occassion by now.
Happy Holi to all the readers!
May this day bring victory of goodness over evil!
May Happiness,Love and Justice prevail everywhere.
May good senses prevail over the world leaders and Wars everywhere including in Ukraine come to an end.
Pradip Kumar Dutta is a Masters in Engineering. He writes regularly in different Bangladesh Newspapers on History,heritage,culture, traveling,nature,people's rights, progressive ideas and environmental issues.
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