What is Holi?

Holi is a Hindu festival represented as a festival of colors. This festival is mainly observed in the countries of India and Nepal. The festival is also celebrated by the minority Hindus reside in Bangladesh and also in Pakistan. Multi-language people in India come together to celebrate this colorful festival happily and apply colors on each other while singing songs and dancing.

Holi is celebrated for a specific reason, a story in old Hindu religion. The story spans in Vaishnavism where the great king of demons ‘Hiranyakashipu’ was once ruled. He was granted with a boon by the lord Brahma due to which he was untouched by death. He received this boon for his long penance after which he was able to demand not to get killed during day or night, inside home or outside, not on sky or Earth, not by man or animal, and not by astra (tools) or shastra (mythological knowledge). After receiving this boon he turned arrogant and attacked the Heavens and the Earth. He further demanded people to worship him instead of Gods. His growing arrogance led to his own death. He was killed by Narsimha which is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

As per the belief, Prahlada who was the son of Hiranyakashipu was a devotee of Vishnu and received continuous threat from his father for his offering prayers to the lord. He was also poisoned by Hiranyakashipu, but when poison entered in Prahlada’s mouth, it turned to nectar. He was further punished and attacked but was saved magically by the Lords for his utmost faith in Vishnu. He also respected his father’s order and sat on Holika which was burnt to death, but Prahlada remained unharmed. Today, the burning of Holika and the Salvation of Prahlada is celebrated throughout the nation in the name of Holi.

During the day of Holi, people burn effigies in views that the negative energy is burnt to bring the positive energy in everyone’s life. This festival also welcomes a new season, Spring. It is also considered as a festival that honors good harvests and fertile land. Hindus believe that Holi brings them abundant colors to celebrate and at the end is a farewell to winter. Religiously, Holi is celebrated to commemorate the events of Hindu mythology.

Altogether, Holi is celebrated by throwing color powder at each other and by participating in bonfire. Going wild with the colors is what Holi represents. However, today, the meaning of Holi has changed and many people stopped playing Holi to avoid pollution and chemicals present in colors that can harm one’s eye or skin. Varieties of colors have been introduced over the years, but those can affect ones health if the color is a mixture of chemical products.