HOLI FESTIVAL 2014

TODAY, HINDU FESTIVAL OF COLORS
RITUALS AND TRADITIONS OF HOLI

www.boldsky.com - The festival of colours, Holi, is celebrated today with great zeal and enthusiasm throughout India. This festival brings people close to each other and becomes a reason to celebrate the colours of life. The festival fills the atmosphere with the hues of love, joy and brotherhood. Apart from the fun filled part of the festival, there are also a few rituals and traditions associated with it. Since rituals form the crucial part of any Indian festival, Holi is no exception. These rituals are: 
Holika Dahan: All of us know the story of the evil sister of the demon king Hiranyakashipu - Holika. On the pretext of punishing her nephew Prahlad, she herself got burnt to ashes. Since then the custom of Holika Dahan has been in place. 
Playing With Colours: Usually people offer 'Abeer' or 'gulaal' at the feet of the deity of the house. After that the youngsters are supposed to put gulaal on the feet of the elder members of the family and take their blessings. Only after that everyone starts playing colours with each other.

Matka Ceremony: In some parts of India, for example Mathura and Vrindavan, the ceremony of Matki Pod is organised on Holi. An earthen pot filled with milk is hung at an unreachable height and then the boys form a human pyramid to reach the pot and then break it. The women tease the boys by hitting the boys with a rope made out of sarees to prevent them from reaching the pot. They play colours and sing simultaneously. 
The Sweet Festival: In the evening, after taking a bath and getting rid of the colours, people visit each other's house with sweets. Traditional sweets like the Gujiya is served to all the guests. Apart from the sweets, the special drink called Thandai is also served to the guests on Holi. Thus, Holi brings people together and promotes love, harmony and brotherhood.

Today, March 17, is celebrated Holi (also known as Dol Jatra, Basantotsav). Holi is the Hindu festival of colors and it is celebrated at the end of the winter season, on the last full moon day of the lunar month Phalguna. Holi is observed with great fanfare by Hindus all over the world. These celebrations begin on the eve of the festival with bonfires and prayers. Sanchita Chowdhury, author of the article, lists different Holi's rituals and traditions which reflect the eternal spirit of the festival. She explains that many of these rituals of Holi are meticulously followed, especially in the Northern part of India which only add more colours to this festival. Days before the actual festival begins, people start gathering firewood for the Holika Dahan. On the eve of Holi, the ritual of Holika Dahan is carried out. This ritual symbolises the victory of good over evil. As the fire burns brighter, people gather around the bonfire and sing songs. The embers of this holy fire is then carried home and people light fire in their house with these embers. On the day of Holi, people throw colored powder and liquids at each other. A common greeting during this time is, "Happy Holi." Holi takes its name from Holika and honors the triumph of love over evil. For Hare Krishna devotees, Holi reminds them the story of Prahlad, whose devotion to Lord Vishnu allowed him to survive a burning pyre while his evil aunt Holika died; and especially this year, Holi has fallen on the day after Gaura Purnima, the anniversary of the appearance of Sri Lord Chaitanya, a contemporary incarnation of Krishna who lived 500 years ago in India. (Editor's note).

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

Hindus celebrate their religious occasions with great enthusiasm and revelry. The Hindu calendar, panchang, is based on the movement of moon around the earth. The dates of the festivals are determined in accordance with this system and therefore vary from the official Common Era calendar. Holi is the festival of colors, which Hindus celebrate as an event of divine incarnation of their most cherished god, Lord Krishna. It is a state festival, with the president and prime minister taking part in this game of throwing pigment colors and getting covered in many different hues. The gaiety and mirth of this festivity is unique, as no other ethnic group in the world has anything similar to this event. It is a celebration signifying the joy and mirth of the community.

Dr. Hiro Badlani:

“Hinduism - Path of the Ancient Wisdom”

Chapter 54 “Hindu Festivals”

http://hinduismpath.com/

http://hinduismpath.com/book-contents/chapter-54

Published by dasavatara das - “Vedic Views on World News”
http://www.vedicviews-worldnews.blogspot.com.ar/

RITUALS ASSOCIATED WITH HOLI

COLOURFUL HOLI RITUALS

AND THEIR SIGNIFICANCE

www.boldsky.com - The rituals associated with Holi are just as colourful as the festival itself. We call Holi the festival of colours, fun and frolic. Some of the main Holi rituals and their significance. Gathering wood and leaves. For a week before Holi, the children are given the task of gathering stray pieces of wood and dry leaves. These titbits are heaped in huge piles at crossroads or in the middle of parks, and they are burned the day/night before Holi in a symbolic fire to destroy evil. Holika Dahan. The folklore says that Prahlad was the prince of a demon kingdom and an ardent follower of Narayana. But Prahlad's father, King Hiranyakashyap hated Narayana and to kill Prahlad, the King asked his sister Holika to sit on a fire with little Prahlad in her lap.
Holika had a boon that fire will not burn her. She stepped into the ritual fire, got burned and Prahlad came out unharmed. To symbolise the victory of good over evil, some communities make an effigy of Holika and place her in a house made of inflammable substances.

Radha and Krishna Puja. The playful couple Radha and Krishna are worshipped on the day of Holi. They are first bathed in milk and then smeared with Holi colours. It is believed that Krishna who was dark skinned was jealous of Radha's fair complexion. He had smeared her with blue colour to get back at Radha for being so fair. Play Of Colours. The play of colours on Holi is a symbol of celebration. The colours signify all the aspects of nature. Lath Mar or Play of Sticks. The legend goes that the ever playful Krishna visited Radha's village Barsana on Holi. True to his nature he eve teased Radha and her female friends (Gopi). But the girls were angered by Krishna's constant teasing and chased him away with sticks. To continue the tradition women beat up men with sticks on the day Holi.
Bhang and Thandai. Bhang or a particular combination of the intoxicating poppy seeds is a Holi ritual. The bhang is mixed with thandai (which is a milk and dry fruits sherbet). This drink adds up to the element of intoxicating fun on Holi. Kamdeva Puja. Down South, playing Holi with colours is not very popular. In Southern India, Holi is a day to worship Kamdeva, the God of Love.

In Hinduism, there are many popular Holi rituals and these customs and traditions have deep significance. Anwesha, author of the article, explains that most of the Holi rituals are based on two main points: the Holika Dahan and the Play of Colours. “But having fun is the underlying principle in each of the Holi rituals and the numerous colours used during the celebrations represent the different elements that God has given us in form of Mother nature,” she adds. Unlike other Hindu festivals, it does not include a sombre puja ceremony or no fasting is required. Holi is the festival of colors and the celebration signifies the joy and mirth of the Hindu community.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

Holi is a major festival and celebrates the onset of spring, along with good harvests and the fertility of the land. It is celebrated on the day after the full moon in early March. This festival is known best for the way people throw brightly colored powder and water over each other to celebrate the advent of spring. Then they bathe and cleanse themselves after which they distribute sweets amongst friends and relatives. Vibrant processions accompanied by folk songs and dances are also a characteristic of Holi celebrations. Holi is a very popular festival amongst the youth. Holi also commemorates the burning to death of Holika, the aunt of Prahlada. Huge bonfires are lit on the eve of Holi for this reason. Holi is celebrated with great vigor in the north, but is hardly celebrated in southern India.

Dr Stephen Knapp (Śrīpad Nandanandana dasa) :
“Hindu Festivals”
http://www.stephen-knapp.com
http://www.stephen-knapp.com/hindu_festivals.htm

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
http://www.vedicviews-worldnews.blogspot.com.ar/