Let’s welcome Holi 2014 with open hearts and festive mood. Like many other festivals of India ‘Holi-The Festival of colours’ too celebrates the triumph of Good over Evil. It is celebrated on the poornima (Full moon)of hindu month of Falgun/Phalgun. It is a two days festival. On the eve of purnima a bonfire is lit known as Holika dahan, the burning of holika which symbolises the burnig of evil to get rid of negativity.
The mythological tale about this is as follows: Pharlad/Prahlad the son of King Harnakshyap was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu. He was not like other children of his age but kept on praying day and night. King didn’t like this as he was an atheist and considered himself all powerful. His sister Holika had the power to remain unburnt even in fire. To teach a lesson to his son, king asked his sister to sit on a pyre holding Prahlad in her lap but with the grace of God the powers of Holika were transferred to Prahlad, so he remained unscathed and Holika was burnt to ashes . So every year people burn Holika the symbol of evil.
Next day in the morning people throw and sprinkle colour on one another and feast on certain delicacies associated with this festival like Ghujia, Ghevar, Pakoras, Variety of Indian sweets etc. This festival is celebrated with Great enthusiasm in Rajasthan and uttar pradesh. Celebrations vary from region to region. In Vrindavan the place of Lord Krishna these celebrations go on for a week. At religious places flower petals are used instead of colours. In several regions auspicious activities are avoided for eight days prior to Holi as these are considered unauspicious. Children like the fun and party part of the festival so they eagerly wait for this Hindu festival. People love visiting their friends and relatives in groups and drink bhaang . This is a festival of brotherhood so people use it as a platform to sink their differences and become friends again.
Looking for some Holi recipes to brighten your day, try: Coconut Burfi, Kheer or Bhakarwadi