Holi (The colourful festival)

Happy holi

The ancient Hindu festival of Holi falls on late February or on march.Allegedly named after the mythical demonises Holika ,it is a day when the feast of colour is celebrated. The festival is of a week.However it's only the last day that is observed by all with colour. Holi is probably the least religious of Hindu holidays. During Holi all people attend a public bonfire, spray friends and family with coloured powders and water, and generally go a bit wild in the streets.

 Holika and Pralhad

The legend commemorated by the festival of Holi involves an evil king named Hiranyakashipu  conspired way to kill his son pralhad because pralhad was an ardent devotee of lord Vishnu. But their attempts always failed for lord Vishnu  protects those who love him. Getting angry with his son, Hiranyakashipu challenged pralhad to sit on a pyre with his wicked aunt Holika who was believed to be immune to fire(in an alternate version, Holika put herself and pralhad on the fire on orders from her brother). Pralhad accepted the challenge and prayed to Vishnu to keep him safe. When the fire started, everyone watched in amazement's as holika was burnt to death(but Brahma's blessing could only be used for good purposes and so Holika was consumed by the fire). While pralhad survived without  a scar to show for it. Thus, Holi is said to be celebrated to rejoice Holika's externiration and the traditional bonfires are believed to commemorate her death. According to some account, Holika begged pralhad for forgiveness before her demise and he decreed that she would be remembered every year at Holi.
The days prior to the last don't have a lot happening except., the installation of the ceremonial pole called 'chir', on the first day. It's a bamboo pole, fringed with strips of cloth representing good luck charms. It is said to symbolize the tree on which lord Krishna hung the milkmaids. As the pole is put up in the street at Basantapur, the festival and worship commences for the week. At the end of which its taken to a bonfire.

The central ritual of Holi is the throwing and applying of colored water and powders on friends and family, which gives the holiday its common name 'FESTIVAL OF COLURS'. This ritual is said to be based on the above story of Krishna and Radha as well as on Krishna playful splashing of the maids with water, but coming of spring with all its beautiful colours and vibrant life.

Happy holi................holi he........................