By Purnima Thakur
Holi, popularly known as the festival of colors, is widely celebrated in India in the month of March. The exact date varies depending on the Hindu (हिंदू) calendar, but this year it will be celebrated today, March 27. Originally a Hindu festival (त्योहार/ उत्सव), nowadays it is also celebrated by other religious and ethnic groups, as it is more of a cultural than a religious festival. Holi marks the beginning of a new season (मौसम/ ऋतु): symbolically, one is bidding farewell to winter (शीत ऋतु/ सर्दी का मौसम) and welcoming spring (वसंत/ वसंत ऋतु) with color and gaiety.
The celebration primarily involves singing, dancing, and throwing colored powder and colored water. Children and adults, men and women, rich and poor, all get together to celebrate—there are no distinctions of age, gender, class or caste as everyone joins in the festivities. In addition, in some parts of India, people come together to light a communal bonfire to signify the burning of evil. Children go around the fire beating tambourines and shouting victory slogans. Ash from the Holi bonfire is smeared on the forehead to bring good luck.
Some believe that the festival is celebrated in memory of Lord Krishna, who grew up in a family of herdsman and milkmen. He was mischievous as a young boy and given to playing tricks on the “gopis” (milkmaids). Breaking their milk and yogurt pots by pelting stones and drenching them in colored water were part of his mischievous revelry. The fun and games affiliated to Holi are believed to be a tribute to Krishna’s naughty ways.
The lighting of the bonfire goes back to the legend of Holika and Prahlad. Prahlad was born to a mighty but vain king. The king ordered everyone in his kingdom to stop worshiping God; they were to worship the king instead. Prahlad defied his father and continued to worship Lord Vishnu. Fed up with Prahlad’s defiance, the king asked his sister Holika, who was to immune to fire, to trick Prahlad into sitting on her lap in a bonfire in order to destroy him. Prahlad, however, emerged from the fire unscathed, and Holika was devoured by the flames, thus marking the victory of good over evil.
Join in the Holi celebration this year! Here’s how you would greet your friends on the occasion of Holi:
होली की हार्दिक शुभकामनायें!
Holī kī hārdik shubhkāmnāye!
होली की बधाई
Holī kī badhāī
होली मुबारक
Holī mubārak
Best wishes for Holi!/ Happy Holi
Want to join the revelry? Shout out these phrases and have a blast!
होली है!
Holī hai!
होली है, भई, होली है!
Holī hai, bhaī Holi hai!
Today’s Holi (literally, it’s Holi!)
बुरा न मानो, होली है!
Burā na māno, Holī hai!
Don’t mind, today’s Holi (literally, don’t feel bad (if I drench you in color), it’s Holi!)
