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Holi's Origin
There are several stories associated with Holi.
 The Bhavishyottara Puran cites a story concerning a
rakshasi (demoness) named Dhundhaa, who harassed children
and teenagers. To keep her away, people kindled fires at
various spots. Then the young and later everyone else
chanted God's name and circumambulated the fires. Thus the
Lord's name and fire kept the demoness away. In this
manner, Satya Yuga's king Raghu propagated the festival of
Holi.
Furthermore it is believed that Dhundhaa manifests as
disease in children, during this period of seasonal
change, when kapha (phlegm) increases in the body. Fire is
the shakti which protects one from disease. Therefore wood
of the Shami tree (Acacia suma) - symbolizing Agni deity -
is burnt in the fire to circumvent disease.
Another belief concerns Putna, the giant demoness who
tried to kill the child Krishna. When he vanquished her,
the cowherds jubilantly burnt her body outside the
village. Henceforth the Holi festival came into being.
More renowned is Prahlad's story. Hiranyakashipu, a demon
king and father of Prahlad, was a dissenter of Bhagwan
Vishnu, whom Prahlad worshipped. Infuriated by his son's
devotion, Hiranyakashipu attempted to kill him. In one
attempt, he instructed his sister Holika, to wear her
miraculous sari, which could not burn, and then sit in a
fire with Prahlad in her lap.
By the Lord's wish, she happened to wear the wrong garment
and was immolated. Symbolically, maya, in the form of
Holika, was destroyed by Prahlad's staunch devotion.
Therefore to eradicate our maya, we should offer unalloyed
bhakti.
This day also marks Lord Manu's birthday anniversary.
Mankind is Lord Manu's offspring. He composed the Manu
Smruti, a scripture regarded as a manual for man's life on
earth.
Nar-Narayan Deva's birthday anniversary too, is celebrated
on this day. As the fourth incarnation of Bhagwan Vishnu,
he is considered as the embodiment and incarnation of
brahmacharya (celibacy).
Import
Immersed in maya, pained and tainted by maya, man is
exhorted to vanquish his base instincts. The true Holi is
in eradicating these instincts and simultaneously being
'colored' by the Lord's 'color.'
Ritual
People burn Holika's effigy. Hence the festival is also
known as Holikaa Dahan. It is celebrated in Mewar and
Marwad in Rajasthan with as much fervour as Diwali in
Gujarat. People hurl gulal powder on each other in the
streets. |
