What is Holi?
• Holi is literally one of the most colorful festivals in the world celebrated in early March.
• Lasts 1-5 days
• Bonfires are lit and coloured powders and dyes are thrown over people.
• Holi symbolises spring and the mythological stories of the God Krishna and the King Prahlad.
How did the celebration of Holi assume a colorful face?
• According to the Hindu belief, Krishna was a reincarnation of lord Vishnu himself.
• It was Krishna, or, the king of the ancient city of Dwarka, who popularised the tradition of Holi.
• The origin of the colorful and playful tone of Holi lies in the childhood of Krishna.
Krishna’s pranks :
• It all came up as part of his pranks, he used to play with his mates of Gokul and Vrindavan.
• Situated in north India, these are the places where he spent his childhood.
• It was at this time of year, Krishna used to play pranks by drenching the village girls, with water and colours.
• At first it offended the girls. But they were so fond of this mischievous boy that soon their anger melted away.
How it added more colour?
• It did not take long for other boys to join in, making it a popular sport in the village.
• Later, as Krishna grew up, the play assumed a new dimension. It added more colour to Krishna's legendary love life.
• The legend of Krishna's courtship with Radha, and playing pranks with the 'Gopi's.
• The girls in the 'dairy' village of Gokul were mostly milkmaids, and, locally known as the Gopis.
How it spread?
• The same tradition has transpired through the ages, turning it into a community festival of the masses.
• As time kept flowing, the culture spread roots to other regions of the country.
• The Holi play of Krishna is documented in hundreds of ancient paintings, murals, sculptures and scriptures found across the subcontinent.
Holi’s second meaning :
• Way back in the pre-Christian era, there lived a demon king named Hiranyakashipu in ancient India.
• He wanted to avenge the death of his younger brother.
• The brother, also a demon, had been killed by Lord Vishnu.
The king’s boon :
• To take on Vishnu, the king wanted to become the king of the heaven, earth and the
underworld.
• He performed severe penance and prayer for many years to gain enough power.
• Finally he was granted a boon.
• Powered by the boon, Hiranyakshipu thought he had become invincible.
Prahalad’s devotion :
• Arrogant, he ordered all in his kingdom to worship him, instead of God.
• The demon king, however, had a very young son, named Prahalad.
• He was a passionate devotee of Vishnu.
• Despite his father's order, Prahalad continued to pray to Vishnu.
Killing Prahalad :
• So the demon king wanted to kill his son.
• He asked the favor of his sister Holika who, because of a boon, was immune to fire.
• They planned that Prahalad would be burned to death.
• A pyre was lit up and Holika sat on it, clutching Prahalad.
Prahalad’s devotion :
• Yet, at the end Prahalad came out unharmed by the fire, and Holika, the demon, was burned to ashes.
• The sincere devotion and complete obedience to Lord Vishnu saved young Prahlad.
• Thus was the triumph of Prahlad, the representative of good spirits. And the defeat of Holika,the representative of evil.
• Later, even the demon king Hiranyakashipu was killed by Lord Vishnu, but that is a different story.
How Holi originated?
• It is from Holika, that the Holi originated.
• This legend is relived even today on the Holi-eve when the pyre is re-lit in the form of bonfires.
• Even today, people celebrate this occasion.
• Huge bonfires are lit up every year on the eve of the full moon night of the Holi to burn the spirit of the evils.
• Hence the story associated with the soul of the celebration.
What happens?
• A large tree branch, representing Prahlad, is placed in the middle of the fire.
• The branch is removed, recreating Prahlad’s rescue.
• The next morning, people put on old clothes and drench each other with colored powders.
• It’s the one day of the year that parents encourage their children to get filthy!
