HOLI
By
IN DAYS of yore, there were communities of cannibals in
India. They caused much havoc. They threatened the lives of
many innocent people. One of them was Holika or Putana. She
took immense delight in devouring children. Sri Krishna
destroyed her and thus saved the little children. Even
today, the effigy or figure of Holika is burnt in the fire.
In South India, the clay figure of Cupid is burnt. This is
the origin of the great festival of Holi.
It begins about ten days before the full moon of the
month Phalgun (February-March), but is usually only observed
for the last three or four days, terminating with the full
moon. This is the spring festival of the Hindus. In the
spring season all the trees are filled with sweet-smelling
flowers. They all proclaim the glory and everlasting beauty
of God. They inspire you with hope, joy and a new life, and
stir you on to find out the creator and the indweller, who
is hiding Himself in these forms.
Holi is known by the name of Kamadahana in South India,
the day on which Cupid was burnt by Lord Siva.
Another legend has it that once upon a time an old
woman's grandchild was to be sacrificed to a female demon
named Holika. A Sadhu advised that abuse and foul language
would subdue Holika. The old woman collected many children
and made them abuse Holika in foul language. The demon fell
dead on the ground. The children then made a bonfire of her
remains.
Connected to this legend of the demon Holika is Bhakta
Prahlad's devotion to Lord Narayana, and his subsequent
escape from death at the hands of Holika. Prahlad's father,
Hiranyakashipu, punished him in a variety of ways to change
his devotional mind and make him worldly-minded. He failed
in his attempts. At last he ordered his sister, Holika, who
had a boon to remain unburnt even in fire, to take Prahlad
on her lap and enter into the blazing flames. Holika did so.
She vanished, but Prahlad remained untouched and laughing.
He was not affected by the fire on account of the Grace of
Lord Narayana.
This same scene is enacted every year to remind people
that those who love God shall be saved, and they that
torture the devotee of God shall be reduced to ashes. When
Holika was burnt, people abused her and sang the glories of
the Lord and of His great devotee, Prahlad. In imitation of
that, people even today use abusive language, but
unfortunately forget to sing the praises of the Lord and His
devotee!
In North India, people play joyfully with coloured water.
The uncle sprinkles coloured water on his nephew. The niece
applies coloured powder on her aunt's face. Brothers and
sisters and cousins play with one another.
Huge bundles of wood are gathered and burnt at night, and
everywhere one hears shouts of "Holi-ho! Holi-ho!" People
stand in the streets and sprinkle coloured water on any man
who passes by, be he a rich man or an officer. There is no
restriction on this day. It is like the April Fool's Day of
the Europeans. People compose and sing special Holi songs.
On the festival day, people clean their homes, remove all
dirty articles from around the house and burn them.
Disease-breeding bacteria are thereby destroyed. The
sanitary condition of the locality is improved. During the
festival, boys dance about in the streets. People play
practical jokes with passers-by. A bonfire is lit towards
the conclusion of the festival. Games representing the
frolics of the young Krishna take place joyously around a
fire.
On the last day of Holi, people take a little fire from
this bonfire to their homes. They believe that their homes
will be rendered pure, and their bodies free from disease.
Nowadays, people are found indulging in all sorts of
vices in the name of the Holi festival. Some drink
intoxicating liquor like toddy and fall unconscious on the
roads. They indulge in obscene speech as a result of
drinking. They lose respect for their elders and masters.
They waste their money in drink and dice-play. These evils
should be totally eradicated.
Festivals like Holi have their own spiritual value. Apart
from the various amusements, they create faith in God if
properly observed. Hindu festivals always have a spiritual
significance. They wean man away from sensual pleasures and
take him gradually to the spiritual path and divine
communion. People perform havan and offer to the gods
the new grains that are harvested.
On such holy occasions there should be worship of God,
Satsangs, and Kirtan of the Lord's Names, not merely the
sprinkling of coloured water and lighting of bonfires. These
functions are to be considered most sacred and spent in
devotional prayers, visiting holy places, bathing in sacred
waters, and Satsang with great souls. Abundant charity
should be done to the poor. Then only can Holi be said to
have been properly celebrated. Devotees of the Lord should
remember His delightful pastimes on such happy occasions.
All great Hindu festivals have religious, social and
hygienic elements in them. Holi is no exception. Every
season has a festival of its own. Holi is the great spring
festival of India. Being an agricultural country, India's
two big festivals come during the harvest time when the
barns and granaries of our farmers are full and they have
reason to enjoy the fruits of their hard labour. The harvest
season is a festive season all over the world.
Man wants relaxation and change after hard work. He needs
to be cheered when he is depressed on account of work and
anxieties. Festivals like Holi supply him with the real food
and tonic to restore his cheer and peace of mind.
The religious element in the Holi festival consists of
worship of Sri Krishna. In some places it is also called the
Dol Yatra. The word dol literally means "a swing". An
image of Sri Krishna as a babe is placed in a little
swing-cradle and decorated with flowers and painted with
coloured powders. The pure, innocent frolics of little
Krishna with the merry milkmaids—the Gopis of Brindavan—are
commemorated. Devotees chant the Name of Sri Krishna and
sing Holi-songs relating to the frolics of little Krishna
with the Gopis.
The social element during Holi is the uniting or
"embracing" of the great and the small, of the rich and the
poor. It is also the uniting of equals. The festival teaches
us to "let the dead bury the dead". We should forget the
outgoing year's ill-feelings and begin the new year with
feelings of love, sympathy, co-operation and equality with
all. We should try to feel this oneness or unity with the
Self also.
Holi also means "sacrifice". Burn all the impurities of
the mind, such as egoism, vanity and lust, through the fire
of devotion and knowledge. Ignite cosmic love, mercy,
generosity, selflessness, truthfulness and purity through
the fire of Yogic practice. This is the real spirit of Holi.
Rise from the mire of stupidity and absurdity and dive deep
into the ocean of divinity.
The call of Holi is to always keep ablaze the light of
God-love shining in your heart. Inner illumination is the
real Holi. The spring season is the manifestation of the
Lord, according to the Bhagavad Gita. Holi is said
there to be His heart.
