Delhi : Holi is one of the most joyous and invigorating festivals of the country. Marking the beginning of Spring, it celebrates life and all of its colours in unanimity and reflects the very essence of this season at the same time. It is undeniable that the vibrancy of colors brings in joy and a lot of positivity in our life. Holi also has its mythological, spiritual, religious, social and psychological sides, which make it much more exciting, giving us the reason to heartily enjoy and cherish the occasion.
Colours play a vital role in revitalizing human body and mind and insufficiency may cause some problem and can be cured if supplemented properly. Earlier, people used colours made of natural sources like turmeric, Neem, Palash etc, which worked wonders for the body and mind. Thus, the humorous pouring and throwing of colours has a healing effect on us.
Holi lasts for a day and a night, starting in the evening of Purnima or the Full Moon Day in the month of Falgun with Holika Dahan or Choti Holi and then followed by full Holi the next day, has its curing effect on us. Holi is played in the Spring Season- a period between end of winter and advent of summer. Those not taking a bath regularly during winter often develop some kind of skin eruptions, which sometimes lead to severe related infections. In the way, some unwanted particles also get accumulated on the human body. Clearly, this needs to be rinsed out. The science of using natural colours like turmeric is meant to cleanse the body and remove this unwanted accumulation only. This makes you feel refreshed and rejuvenated, leaving behind the baggage of chilling winter.
Besides, Holika Dahan is performed to burn all that is dry and dirty, paving the way for new life in the spring. People also perform Parikrama, going around the bonfire/pyre. In this process, the heat coming from the bonfire kills the bacteria in the body and cleanses it, as the growth of bacteria is tremendous in this season.
Holi is played in a month when we go through some psychological transition also. People get the feeling of tardiness because of fast changing weather. To counter this sluggishness, some stimulating songs like Phag, Jogira etc. are sung with Dhol, Manjira and other traditional instruments. This helps in rejuvenating body and mind.
Holi also helps bring in social cohesion, thereby strengthening the very fabric of the society. We forget any feeling of hardship or ill will. Besides, people do not differentiate between the rich and the poor on this day and everybody celebrates it together with a spirit of bonhomie and brotherhood. People visit friends and relatives and exchange pleasantries, gifts and sweets, revatalising relationships and strengthening emotional bonds.
Playing with different bright colors brings our emotions out along with liveliness in our life. It’s also a fact that when we see bright colors, our brain is fed with happy emotions. Bright colors represent our inner brightness and happiness, thus making us happier. On this occasion, we make and serve a lot of sweets, which too have a direct connection with our emotions and feelings, making us feel happy. Consumption of sweets and good food turn us in a good mood. Meeting and playing with our friends and relatives create an environment of opening up. Social gatherings often bring out joy and playfulness in us.
The legends attached with Holi are also fascinating, bringing us closer to our thrilling mythology. The legend of Prahlad and Hiranyakshyap is foremost among all, saying there once lived a devil and powerful king- Hiranyakshyap, who considering himself a god, wanted all to worship him. However, his own son Prahlad began to worship Lord Vishnu, which upset him so much that he became hell bent to get rid of his own son, instructing his sister Holika to enter a blazing fire with Prahlad in her lap, as Holika enjoyed a boon to come out unscathed even from a fire. However, the contrary happened. Prahlad came out unharmed because of his devotion for the lord and Holika died because of her sinister desire.
Since, Holi symbolises delight, hence it has a very close association with Radha and Krishna. Under a legned, Krishna applies colour on Radha and other Gopis under a prank, which later became a trend. Another legend says, Holi is the celebration of the death of Pootana, who tried to kill infant Krishna by feeding poisonous milk. In South India, another mythology is followed, under which is related to Lord Shiva and Kaamadeva. South Indians celebrate the sacrifice of Lord of Passion Kaamadeva, risking his life to revoke Lord Shiva from meditation with an intension to save the world.
