Holi. The festival of colours and so much more. How does one capture the true beauty of such a festival? There are of course the legends behind the celebration which should always be mentioned as well as the meaning of the colours, the atmosphere of happiness and unity that radiates, the energy (I have noticed with any festival in India) that is so intense it envelops you in an aura of anticipation and excitement but there still remains an infinite scope of how to describe Holi. Not to mention that Holi signifies the Spring and harvest too.
Holi means something different to everyone who celebrates it. As someone who has always felt a pull towards towards Indian culture, to witness Holi in India and feel the energy of such a bright and auspicious time is a truly moving experience and in some ways, life changing.
One legend of Holi tells us that according King Hiranyakashipu (the king of demonic Asuras) who could neither be killed by man or an animal demanded that everybody should worship him as god. The King's son, Prahlada, disagreed and chose to remain devoted to Vishnu. Hiranyakashipu was angry at this decision and made his son experience harsh punishments but finally Holika, the King's sister, tricked him into sitting on a pyre with her. While Holika protected herself with a cloak, Prahlada remained exposed. As the fire blazed, the cloak flew from Holika's body and encased Prahlada, thus saving his life. Later, Vishnu appeared as half man and half lion and killed the King. This is why Holi begins with the Holika bonfire, which marks the end of evil.
The other legend states that Lord Krishna had developed blue skin after Putana, a demon, poisoned him with her breast milk. Krishna worried if the fair-skinned Radha and her companions would ever like him because of his new skin colour. Krishna's mother then asked him to approach Radha and smear her face with any colour he wanted. This playful colouring gradually evolved as a tradition and later, as a festival observed as Holi.
The colours have meaning also. Red is considered an auspicious colour for the Gods and also signifies love and fertility. Blue is the colour to symbolise Lord Krishna. Yellow is considered to be symbolic of health, happiness, peace and knowledge and is also believed to be the colour of Lord Vishnu (whose reincarnation is Lord Krishna). Vishnu is fond of yellow and wears clothes of this colour. Green is symbolic of Lord Ram (another reincarnation of Lord Vishnu). It also symbolises greenery, the harvest and nature. Orange is the colour of Hinduism. It also represents the sun, new beginnings and forgiveness.
For me, this festival is an exhilarating experience. One that bestows the heart with such an immense array of colours and fascinating visions. It summons all energy within you to get up and move to the music being played so loudly it silences all thoughts. It empowers you to play with child-like innocence once more, as adults we so often forget that life is to be enjoyed and isn't all about being serious and paying bills. It is one festival each year that unites people and celebrates the diversity of life. It reaches into the darkness and brings the light of Spring and heralds the triumph of good over evil. Holi is a magical time of happiness, celebration, loving one another, adorning the self and others with colours so bright it impossible to wear a frown that day. It is a time of mysticism and good food (especially for those with a sweet tooth), a time that entices you to let go and be thankful for what you have. It is a time to remember we are each a part of the tree of life, connected - each a wave in an infinite ocean.
Holi is so much more than I could ever express in a simple blog. Once experienced, it echoes in the heart for a long time afterwards. It is a return to innocence where for one day of the year you not only feel empowered to smile but that smile feels good and so does the laughter that naturally follows.
Happy Holi to all!
Words Among Trees
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