Holi, the prime festival of the Hindus, is one of the most awaited festivals by the people in India. This festival is celebrated with thorough enthusiasm not only in India, but also in different corners of the world.
On the event of Holi, people play with their relatives and friends and put colours on them. It is also known as Phagwah in many parts of the country. Generally, people wear old clothes in the morning or wear white clothes while playing with the colours.
It is common phenomenon among the people and on a general basis, people play with water and wet colours in the morning. After getting wet in the water, it is not completed. The people prefer to play with the dry colours in the evening.
They put the dry colours on the faces of their relatives and friends, which is also known as Gulaal, and wish them Happy Holi. After finally, playing with colours this day, the people have dinner with their relatives and have sweet dishes and desserts too.
This festival is also the festival of spreading happiness and brotherhood all around. One does not mind anything done that day as it is the day of Holi. So, Holika Dahan is celebrated just the day before Holi. This is associated with the death or end of the negative sentiments. This festival like many other festivals in India is celebrated for triumph of good over evil.
People collect wood piles or pyres and burn them in the remembrance of the event that happened so long early and became the cause of celebration of Holi. Prahalad, the son of Hiranyakashipu, hated the fact that his son was such a devotee of Lord Narayana. He tried to harm him in many ways and stop him from preaching the Lord’s name.
He wanted him to preach his name but the son was against this. When he finally became fed up of all his attempts to harm his son, then he asked his sister Holika, to burn him to death when he was preaching the next time. When the son was preaching the name of the God, the next time, Holika wrapped a blanket around her, took him on her lap and entered the fire so that he could burn down to death.
But, it was God’s grace that the blanket flew off from her body and was wrapped around the body of Prahalad who kept preaching the Lord’s name till death. He survived the fire but she was burnt completely. This marked the beginning of celebration of Holi throughout the country.
This festival is also connected to Lord Krishna. It is celebrated by performing Raasleela in different parts of the country every year as a tribute to Lord Krishna in places like Vrindavan. This keeps the historic significance of this festival alive even today.
It is believed that even the enemies and foes forget their enmity this day, forget the grudges and become friends. It helps to reduce the difference among the people in regard of different issues like discrimination on basis of sex, race, colour, etc. Holi can be described as the festival of unity and makes the people united.
