Rang de Gulaal Mohe,
Aayi Holi aayi re!
Yes! One of the most popular and loving festival of India is back!
A festival that brings joy and happiness in peoples lives and brings colors on not just the faces but also the lives.
A festival that has been celebrated since hundreds of years with same vibrance and love.
Holi celebrates the arrival of spring season and end of winter season. It also celebrates the arrival of the harvest season. Though it’s a major festival in India, it is also celebrated in other countries like Nepal,Guyana, Jamaica, etc. It starts on the evening of Purnima or full moon night of Phalguna and ends the next day.
The first evening is called Holika Dahan also known as Chhoti Holi. The demon king Hiranyakashyapu’s sister Holika died in the fire when she tried to burn her nephew Prahlad because he was an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu. The death of Holika represented the destruction of evil. On this day, people light bonfires on the streets or in their backyards and burn old and useless things thereby signifying the end of old ideas and beginning of new values.
The next morning, people celebrate the festival by applying colors on each other’s faces, drench each other with water filled balloons and water guns. People belonging to all age groups have fun playing Holi with each other. This is also one of the best occasions for people to meet their friends and relatives and enjoy playing holi with them. They also prepare special delicious food, buy and distribute sweets, play music and dance.
This festival has lot of cultural significance. As per legends, Yashoda asked the child Krishna to approach Radha to apply colors on him. After Radha applied colors on Krishna’s face, they became a couple. Since then, the coloring of Radha and Krishna’s face is commemorated as Holi. In the northern parts of India, Holi is celebrated in a grand way to celebrated the love of Radha and Krishna. There’s another legend that Kamdev, the Lord of Love shot the arrow of love on Lord Shiva while he was in deep meditation so that he falls in love with Goddess Parvati standing in front of him. His plan failed and Lord Shiva instead opened his third eye and Kamdev was burnt to ashes. His wife Rati meditated for forty days and on the fortieth day which was the day of Holi, Lord Shiva forgives Kamdev and restores his life. This legend has lot of significance in the South India.
Here's Wishing Everyone A Very Happy Holi!
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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