It is a festive day to end and rid oneself of all past errors, repair broken relationships, end conflicts by meeting other people and is a day to forget and forgive one another.
In the 17th Century, it was also witnessed as a festival that celebrated agriculture and commemorated good spring harvests and fertile land.
Lasting for a night and a day, Holi starts on the evening of Purnima (full moon day) which is around the middle of March. The celebrations begin on the night before Holi with the ritual of Holika Dahan (Choti Holi), where bonfires are lit which represent the burning of the demoness Holika who was a symbol of power, wealth and prosperity.
The next morning is celebrated as Rangwali Holi where people smear and drench each other with different colours.
Water-filled balloons are thrown at each other and water guns are used. Holi colours are available in three forms- pastes, wet colours and dry colours. Many different groups carry drums and other musical instruments to play – singing and dancing with one another. It is also a day which celebrated the salvation of an asura king (in Hindu mythology), Prahlada.
Interestingly, there are 9 different ways of celebrating Holi in India. Some of them include enjoying a rooftop/garden barbeque, going on a staycation, celebrating a tilak-flower Holi, going for a trek, going for a picnic, organising a Rangeet Dhawan (Holi party) at home, doing a Holi-Inspired photoshoot, celebrating Holi at an orphanage or old age home, be artistic with kids by painting your own greeting cards, DIY t-shirts, etc.
There are also different names for the festival depending on the region in which it is celebrated. In the village of Barsana, Uttar Pradesh the local name is known as Lathmar Holi. In the region of Uttarakhand, the Kumaon region people call this festival khadi Holi, where people move in toils singing Khari songs and wearing traditional clothes. In Punjab, it is mainly called Hola Mohalla or warrior Holi as observed by Nihang Sikhs. In Odisha and West Bengal, it is known as Dol Jatra or Basant Utsav. In Goa, people call this festival Shigmo. In Kerela, it is known by the name of Manjul Kuli and is celebrated in a Konkani temple of Gorripuram Thirumala, In Bihar Holi is known by the name of Phagwa whereas in Assam it is known as Phakuwah. So in a country as diverse and populated as it is, India celebrates many different names and types of this Festival of Colour!
Although Holi is an ancient Hindu festival it is celebrated almost all over the world. Some of the best places to experience Holi celebrations in India include Mathura – Uttar Pradesh, Vrindavan – Uttar Pradesh, Barsana – Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Shantiniketan – West Bengal, Anandpur Sahib – Punjab, Hampi – Karnataka, Purulia – West Bengal, Jaipur – Rajasthan and Mumbai – Maharashtra. Outside of India, the biggest Holi celebrations in the world take place in Leicester, UK.
Food is a huge hallmark of this festival and some of the delicious dishes prepared and served during the celebration include papri chaat, dahi vada, chana masala, puran poli and besan papdi. Some of the top five Holi sweets to brighten up the festival include Gujiya – sweet dumplings which are filled with khoya or a mixture made from evaporated milk and dried fruits, barfi – a milk-based sweet made from condensed milk and sugar, phirni/kheer – a pudding made by boiling milk and sugar with tapioca, broken wheat, rice, vermicelli or sweet corn; ras malai- a rich cheesecake without a crust, malpua – a desert pancake by deep frying crushed ripe bananas or coconut with flour and water or milk. Lastly are the popular drinks which are absolutely essential. Some of these include thandai – a cold drink prepared with a mixture of almonds, fennel seeds, watermelon kernels, cardamom, pepper, rose petals, vetiver seeds, saffron, milk and sugar. Lassi is another popular drink which is a popular yoghurt based drink that is made from yoghurt, spices, water and sometimes fruit.
Coming to the colours of the festival, ‘gulal’ is the local term for colour. Earlier the colours were made from dried leaves, fruits, natural substances and flowers but now many are made from chemical substances. Some of the main colours predominantly used during the festival are red – which symbolises love and fertility, blue which represents the Hindu God Krishna, yellow which is the colour of turmeric and green which is symbolic of new beginnings. However many different colours such as gulal, purple, blue, green, orange, pink and grey are used.
On Holi, people generally tend to wear white colour as it is the colour which is symbolic of peace, happiness and prosperity. In short, it symbolises peace of mind and happiness by removing all worries.
With Holi falling on March 7th 2023 this year, there are many people who also feel that the festival has lost its charm because of the excessive use of chemical colours, social cohesion and busy work schedules. Surprisingly, due to the excessive humidity and high temperatures, locals in Mumbai had a surprise relief of showers post-midnight accompanied by thunder!
With speakers blaring favourite Hindi and English tracks, celebrities and people all across the country have certainly scaled up Holi celebrations!
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