HAPPY HOLI TO ALL OF YOU!!

Holi is a spring festival, also known as the festival of colors or the festival of sharing love. Holi celebrations start on the night before Holi with a Holika bonfire where people gather, sing, dance.  The next morning is celebrated as Rangwali Holi – a free-for-all carnival of colors, where participants play, chase and color each other with dry powder and colored water, with some carrying water guns and colored water-filled balloons for their water fight.

Holi, like all other Indian festivals, also has it’s fair share of mythological significance. And what is most amazing is people from different parts of India have their own favorite names for this festival and their own mythological tale for the significance of Holi.

There was once a demon king by the name of Hiranyakashyap who won over the kingdom of earth. He was so egoistic that he commanded everybody in his kingdom to worship only him. But to his great disappointment, his son, Prahlad became a true devotee of Lord Naarayan and refused to worship his father.  Knowing that the gods responded to all prayers, no matter if they came from good or bad men, Hiranyakaship began to pray. After many years of prayer, Lord Brahma was willing to grant Hiranyakaship a boon.  He wanted to be made invincible, and asked first that he could not be killed by man or beast. Second, he demanded that he could not die while the sun was up or set. Third, he was promised that he would not be harmed inside or outside his home.

Hiranyakashyap tried several ways to kill his son Prahlad but Lord Vishnu saved him every time. Finally, he asked his sister, Holika to enter a blazing fire with Prahlad in her lap. For, Hiranyakashyap knew that Holika had a boon, that she could not be burnt by flame.

Under Hiranyakaship’s demands, Holika was to take Prahlad into a bonfire. That way he would be burned, and no longer a thorn in the king’s side. Prahlad, who kept chanting the name of Lord Naarayan all this while, came out unharmed, as the lord blessed him for his extreme devotion.

Thus, Holi derives its name from Holika. And, is celebrated as a festival of victory of good over evil.

 

Not slowed by the death of Holika, Hiranyakaship was sure that his most recent trial would see his son meet his end. He demanded that Prahlad hug an fire-hot iron pillar. Once again, Prahlad prayed to Lord Vishnu. For this trial, Vishnu in person answered Prahlad’s prayer. Taking the form of a half-lion, half-man named Narasimha, he exploded from the center of the pillar before Hiranyakaship and Prahlad. In one leap, Narasimha was on top of the demon king. In the middle of the palace’s doorway, he swiftly tore Hiranyakaship apart.

The demon king who was so sure that he could not die, never accounted for Narasimha. Since he was neither man nor beast, he could attack Hiranyakaship (1st boon). Since he appeared while the sun was setting, the sun was neither up nor set, but in between (2nd boon). Finally, since Hiranyakaship was in the middle of the palace doorway, he was neither wholly inside or outside his home (3rd boon). In his arrogance, Hiranyakaship left himself vulnerable to attack.

Narasimha’s victory, and the faith Prahlad held through all of his trials, is the triumph of good over evil, and the reason that Indian all over the world celebrate Holi.

 

I wish you all a very happy, colorful and safe Holi. May the festival of colors bring more cheerful colors in your life!!

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