Holi -an Indian Festival

Holi is an Indian festival or in other words it can be described as festival of colors. It is a spring festival and is celebrated almost all over India particularly by the north Indian communities. Holi usually is celebrated on the full moon day which falls in the month of phalguna normally February or March. Though holi is a festival of Hindus it is celebrated almost all over India. In Punjab both the Sikhs and the Hindus celebrate it with great vigor. The festival marks the end of winter season and welcomes the bright summer days ahead. The most popular legend that is associated with the festival of holi is that it marks the death of Holika the demon sister of the king of demons Hiranyakashyap who tried to kill his own son Prahalad who was a devotee of Lord Vishnu. The king of demons asked Holika who had a shawl which prevented her from fire to sit in the fire along with his son to ensure his death. However when the fire was lit the shawl flew from Holika and protected Prahalad and Holika was burn to death. Apart from this legend the other popular legend is associated with Lord Krishna. It is said that Lord Krishna played with Radha and other Gopikas by applying colors on them.

In south it is celebrated as the spring festival where Lord Kamadeva or Manmadha sacrificed his life to revoke Lord Shiva from his meditation. Whatever be the legends associated with holi the festival is celebrated throughout India with great fun and excitement.

As a result on the eve of holi Holika dahan or burning of the effigy of Holika takes place. This ritual symbolizes the victory of a true devotee Prahalad. The next day of the festival marks the real celebration where people of all ages play happily spraying color water and color powders on each other. The event is called Dhuleti. When the people keep playing and enjoying they are refreshed by a traditional drink called Thandai. The drink is prepared using water, sugar, watermelon seeds, almonds, muskmelon seeds, cashew nuts, cardamom, saunf, rosewater, lotus stem seeds, white pepper and an intoxicating dose of bhang. This is a refreshing drink and a mild intoxicating dose would help people to enjoy the festival with full spirit. A number of traditional delicacies are prepared to celebrate the event. The most mouth lingering dishes that are prepared during this festive occasion are Gujia, Papri, Sweet kachoris, kanji ke vade etc.

The fact is that the significance of the festival of Holi lies in the various colors that are used in the event of celebration. Each color signifies different feelings. For example red implies danger but it also provokes the feeling of strength and power, similarly though all colors have a negative effect they equally induce positive feelings. This indicates the simple fact that life is a mixture of happy and sad events. Earlier the colors used in the festival of Holi were prepared at home using herbal products, but now the colors are sold at the market and contain various chemicals. It is advisable not to use this chemical preparation and one can celebrate a healthy holy with spraying colors prepared at home.

Holi is an event of celebration and it is celebrated all over India. Though it is celebrated by different names the occasion is one and it is an event of joy and celebration.