Holi Festival

Holi, the celebration of hues denotes the initiation of spring season in India after the winter season. It’s commended with most extreme euphoria all through the nation. Almost like many other festivals in India, this festival also symbolizes the victory of excellent over evil in India. People of all age groups with their faces and garments smeared with different colors of ‘Gulal’ celebrate the festival with great enthusiasm and fervor. The festival is usually celebrated on Phalgun Purnima (February – March) and other people greet one another by rubbing colors on each other’s body or face by saying ‘Bura Na Maano Holi Hai’.

What are Rituals and History behind the Celebration of Holi Festival

The festival of Holi actually begins each day before Dhulandi (day of playing colors) when people light a bonfire and enjoy singing and dancing round the fire. There are many legends related to the festival, but the favored one is ‘Holika Dahan’ – a mythological character. Prahlada, son of demon king Hanyakashipu was a fanatical devotee of Lord Vishnu. He disobeyed the orders of his evil father to not offer prayers to the Lord Vishnu to show his son a lesson; he sought the help of his sister, Holika to kill Prahlada. Holika sat on a bonfire with Prahlada, but to the amazement of the king, the hearth burnt alive the invincible Holika and Prahlada remained unaffected.

Celebrating Holi – Painting the Streets with Vibrant Colors

The whole of India gets immersed within the celebratory fever, just a couple of weeks or days before the festival. The markets wear a vibrant look with various shops selling colors and delicious sweets just like the gujiyas, rasgulla, and malpua then on. As for the drinks, one cannot miss the Bhang (a quite drink prepared from the cannabis plant) or thandai. People in enormous numbers play holi in bunch moving to the foot tapping numbers yelling ‘Holi Hai’. Nobody is spared on this occasion and therefore the people are smeared color powders and spraying water with pichkaris (water guns) and water balloons.

Holi Celebrations in Various Parts of India

The spirit of Holi is simply beyond the imagination. It can only be felt and quite difficult to precise in words. This festival is widely known with immense gaiety with different traditions in various parts of India.

Holi in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh

Those have witnessed the holi celebrations in Mathura city; Uttar Pradesh will always cherish the unforgettable memories. a well-liked attraction here is that the ‘Latthmaar’ Holi where the ladies playfully hit the lads with the sticks. The holy is especially played within the premises of the Radha Rani Temple located in Barsana town, considered to be the birthplace of Goddess Radha.

Holi in Bengal

In West Bengal, the festival of Holi is understood by many names like the Dol Purnima, Dol Jatra and Swing Festival. On today, people welcome the spring season by playing colors and distributing sweets. People, especially the boys and girls wear saffron (yellow) colored dressess and flower garlands. They sing and dance by playing various musicial instruments that gives a mesmerizing view to the spectators. That’s not all, because the idols of Krishna and Radha are beautifully decorated and brought within the palanquins for the procession (yatra) round the various parts of the state. During the yatra, people keep spraying the colours at the people carrying the idols.

Holi in Vrindavan

People from the varied parts of the planet throng to Mathura – Vrindavan to celebrate the festival of Holi within the land of Lord Krishna. People dress themselves as Krishna, Radha and Gopi and have interaction in joyful pranks with one another. The good enthusiasm of the people showing their utmost respect and devotion to the almighty is just incomparable. People, visiting the town, experience the sensation of romance flowing within the air. The Holi celebrations in Mathura – Vrindavan continue a minimum of for every week. Every temple during this divine city celebrates holi with great fervor.

Holi in Rajasthan

In Rajasthan, the festival of Holi is played during a similar fashion a bit like the other a part of India. An enormous bonfire in burnt and other people gather around it singing various songs, dancing and relishing scrumptious food items. Next day within the morning, people throw colors (gulal and kumkum) on one another body and greet the people.

Holi- A festival of vivid colors, euphoria, friendship and reunion is a n integral a part of Indian culture and is a memorable experience to cherish forever. It also promotes the sensation of affection by eradicating the sensation of hatred among the people.