Holi is the most colourful festival of the Hindus and falls on the Full
moon day in the month of Phalgun according to the Hindu Calendar which
is the month of March as per the Gregorian Calendar. This Holi festival
has many elements of primitive and prolific rites and reveries that have
defied civilisation and prudery. During the three days of this
festival, particularly the whole country, towns, cities and villages -
go gay with merry makers, streets, parks and public places are crowded
with people, daubed in diverse colours, looking funny and ridiculous.
Children and youngsters vie with each other in being original and use
fast and sticky colours. It is all a mirthful abandon for them.
This festival of joy, mirth and buoyancy is celebrated when both Man and
Nature cast off their winter gloom. Holi heralds the arrival of Spring -
the season of hope and new beginnings and marks the rekindling of the
spirit of life. Gulmohurs, corals, silk-cottons and mango trees start
flowering, gardens and parks present a glorious spectacle of a riot of
colours - crimson, red, pink, orange, golden yellow, lemon and a variety
of glittering greens. Men who remained indoors during the cold months
of winter emerge out to see a new sparkling world of colour and gaiety.
The flowers breathe out their fragrance into space and brooks and
streams leap in the valleys, Men rejoice with brilliant light of day and
the eloquent silence of night. And then the joy bubbling in their
hearts find expression in dance, drama and music. Holi also puts an end
to the days of trials and tribulations for the poor who remained
ill-clad and without adequate shelter during the chilling cold of the
winter season.
Holi is one of the most ancient festivals of the Aryans which finds an
honoured mention in our old Sanskrit texts like Dashakumar Charit and
Garud Puran. Even the play "Ratnavali" written by Harshdev in 7th
century contains a delightful description of Holi festival.
In those days Holi was celebrated as "Vasantotsav". Acclaiming it as a
spring festival Mahakavi Kalidas has called it "MADANOTSAV". The famous
Bhavbhooti in his play "Maltic-Madhav" mentioned that the King mingled
with his subjects and shared the maddening merriment of Holi.
The mythological origins of this festival vary in different parts of the
country. In South India specially in Tamilnadu and Kerala the legend
that is popular is of Kamdev-the Love-god, his bow is of sugarcane
having the string of a line of humming bees and his arrow-shafts are
topped with passion that pierce the heart. In spring he moves through
woodlands and hunts birds, beasts and men. Once in his foolish pride, he
aimed his arrow at the mighty Lord Shiv who was in deep meditation.
Lord Shiv opened his third eye and burnt him to ashes. Grief-stricken
Rati, Kamdevs wife beseeched Lord Shiv to take pity on her and restore
her husband to life. Shiv relented and granted her the boon that she
could see her husband but he would remain "anang" that meant without the
physical human form. Hence, the songs sung during Holi tell the
pathetic tale of Rati and her lamentations. In Tamilnadu Holi is known
by three different names - Kamavilas, Kaman Pandigai and Kama-dahanam.
Lord Krishna, the 8th incarnation of Lord Vishnu is also worshipped
during the Holi festival, which is celebrated as a commemoration of a
mythological incident. Putana, the she-demon was sent by the cruel king
Kamsa to kill the child Krishna. In guise of a beautiful woman, Putana
went about in the village of Nandgaon suckling every child to death. But
the infant Krishna sucked her breasts till blood started flowing and
she succumbed to her death. Hence, on the previous evening of the Holi
day, bonfires are lighted to celebrate the victory of Krishna and the
death of Putana. Those who attribute the origin of festivals to seasonal
cycles maintain that Putana represents winter and her death the
cessation and end of winter.
The mighty king
Hiranyakashyapu in his stupendous ego ordered his people to worship him
as god. His son Prahlad defying his fathers orders continued his
worship of Lord Vishnu. The king wanting to kill Prahlad and wipe out
the very name of Lord Vishnu sent his sister Holika, who possessed the
boom of never being burnt by fire, to destroy Prahlad. She cajoled the
young Prahlad to sit in her lap and she herself took her seat in a
blazing fire with the full conviction that fire could never touch her.
But Holika was devoured by the flames and Prahlad walked out of the fire
unscathed and alive. Perhaps this festival got its name from this
incident. Certainly it was the victory of good over Evil!
In
North India and Uttar Pradesh, this victory is celebrated, effigies of
Holika are burnt in the huge bonfires that are lit. This tradition is
also followed in Gujarat and Orissa. To render greatfulness to Agni, god
of Fire, gram and stalks from the harvest are also offered to Agni with
all humility.
In
Bengal this festival is known by the name of Dol Jatraor Dol Purnima. On
this day the idol of Mahaprabhu Chaitanya, placed in a pictursuqely
decorated palanquin is taken round the main streets of the city. The
head of the Bengali family observes fast and prays to Lord Krishna and
Agnidev. After all the traditional rituals are over, he smears Krishnas
idol with gulal and offers "bhog" to both Krishna and Agnidev.
Krishnas
love-play with gopis is known all over the country. Hence, in places
like Mathura and Vrindawan where Krishna cult flourished and is followed
even to-day, this Holi festival is celebrated with songs, music, plays
and dances and of course coloured waters are thrown on each other. In
Nandagaon where the young Krishna played all his youthful pranks. Holi
is observed for many days and also in Barsana which was the birthplace
of Radha Krishnas beloved. The men-folk of Nandagaon and the women-folk
of Barsana come together and play the game of "Huranga" in which men
abuse women and in retaliation women beat them with sticks that the men
try to avoid with their shields.
This
festival of Holi still retains to charm in Gurudev Rabindranath
Tagores Shanti Niketan. On the Dol Purnima day in the early morning the
students dress up in saffron-coloured clothes and wear garlands of
fragrant flowers. They sing and dance to the accompaniment of musical
instruments before their teachers and the invited guests, sitting in a
colourfully decorated dais. In the end dry gulal powder and the
auspicious black abhir is smeared on the foreheads of everyone. Use of
liquid colours is fully forbidden.
The Sikh community also celebrates Holi with feasting and merriment and call it Hola Mohalla.
In
Maharashtra Holi is commonly known by the name of "Shimga" and is also
called RANGAPANCHAMI. The fisherfolk celebrate it on a large-scale with
hilarious singing, dancing and merry-making. To-day this festival
retains its significance mostly in middle-class and the poorer sections
of the state.
During
the Maratha regime this festival was celebrated with great pomp and
grandeur. It was on a Holi festival day that five year Jijabhai,
daughter of Lakhooji Jadhav innocently splashed coloured water and threw
gulal on young shahaji, son of Malajirao Bhowale. Taking it as an
auspicious event, the two childrens engagement was announced that very
day. Soon they were married. Shivaji, the son born to this couple fought
valiantly and shook the very foundation of the powerful Mogul empire.
Thus Shivaji established the Maratha empire and changed the course of
history.
As years
rolled by this age-old festival of Holi acquired a new significance.
Besides being a spring festival it also become the harvest festival. The
winter crop of Rabi gets ripe and the corns of wheat become golden. So
Holi means to the farmers joyful celebration of new harvest and bubbling
with joy and excitement at the prospect of prosperity they offer their
first crop to Agnidev - the god of Fire - who for centuries has been
looked upon with love and esteem by the Aryans. Only after this offering
of first harvest to Agnidev, the farmers use the crop for their
personal consumption.
On the eve of Holi, huge bonfires are lit
with logs of wood, basketful of cowdung cakes, ghee, honey and the new
crop brought fresh from the fields. When the fire leaps up in high and
strong flames all those present, walk around the bonfire seven times,
pray and invoke the blessings of Agnidev. Women prepare delicious sweets
and put in the bonfire as "Naivedya" to Agnidev. When the fire lies
down, water is splashed on the embers and the ash from the extinguished
fire is applied on the forehead by everyone. Some of the ash is
preserved in the house all through the year to apply to the foreheads of
children as an effective remedy against any impending evil.
The
ancient tradition of the Aryans of celebrating the festival of Holi in
honour and in devotion to Agnidev - the god of Fire - continues even
to-day in the modern world of science and technology. Indeed it is a
festival which gives men a thrilling spell of happiness and despite from
their problems of everyday life.
This
festival of Holi - a festival of myriad colours, of gaity, of
friendships and re-unions all over the country. Thus Holy is certainly a
vital part of our Indian life and culture in which religion still is a
living force.
