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 Holi
is a festival of colour & is celebrated all over India.
It is also celebrated by Indians residing out of India.
This festival comes on the full moon day of Phagan - a
Hindu month. This festival bring new hope for all
the people as it marks the end of chilled winter days
and the beginning of the summer. People forget their
enmity and throw away their worries. Every nook and
corner presents atypically colourful sight.
Everywhere people - young or old are drenched with
different colours and water which comes from everywhere,
there are balloons bursting and long piston squirting
coloured water. People in small groups are seen singing,
dancing and throwing colours on each other.
According to legend Hirankashyap was a very powerful
Devil. In his fight against the Gods he had defeated
the Gods and because of this he became very egoistic and
had issued an order that no one should pray to God or
even take the name of God. Due to fear people started
praying him. His son Pralhad was a true devotee of God.
He didn't obey his father's order. Hirankashyap got
angry on him and order for the most rigorous punishments
to him. But this did no harm to Pralhad. Hirankashyap
had a sister by the name of Holika. She had been granted
a boon that fire will do no harm to her. Hirankashyap
ordered Holika to take Pralhad on her lap and sit on a
bed of fire. Holika was burnt in the fire and Pralhad
survived with no harm done to him. As a remembrance to
that event people celebrate Holi by burning wood and
pray to Goddess Holi for their well being. Holi is
also associated with the immortal love of Krishna and
Radha .
Holi is celebrated all over India, but is more predominant
in North India. Celebrations start a week earlier than
rest of India. Men of Nandagaon (place where Lord
Krishna grew up) raid Barsana (place where Radha grew
up) with hopes of raising their flag over Shri
Radhikaji's temple. They receive a thunderous welcome as
the women of Barsana greet them with long wooden sticks.
The men are soundly beaten as they attempt to rush
through town to reach the relative safety of Shri
Radhikaji's temple. Men are well padded as they are not
allowed to retaliate. In this mock battle the men try
their best not to be captured. Unlucky captives can be
forcefully lead away, thrashed and dressed in female
attire before being made to dance.
In short the celebration of Holi bears witness to a
feeling of oneness and sense of brother-hood and creates
a colourful atmosphere .
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