HOLI: Splashing with life

HOLI also known as “Dol Purnima” and “Basant Utsav”, Holi itself is maneuvered into several colours establishing its sense literally into our mind and soul through centuries.

This tradition has transpired through ages to signify the festival of colours across the globe, with its origin solely in the Hindu mythology.

Holi is inextricably linked to mythical tales featuring warriors, gods, demonesses and asuras.

The word Holi is derived from the word “Holika “, who was the sister of King Hiranyakashyap. This festival is celebrated in remembrance of the victory of good over evil, i.e., on the next day after Holika was burnt on a pyre.

Holi 2022 Festival Date in India

According to the Hindu calendar, Holi is celebrated on the last full moon day or Poornima of the month of Falgun. This year Holi festival falls on March 18, 2022. And Holika Dahan will be observed a day before Holi which will be on 17th March 2022.

600 years ago. Saint Kabir says: 

Kabir, Jab hi Satnaam Hridhay dharyo, Bhayo paap ko naash |

Maano chigni agni Ki, Pade puraani ghaas ||

Worship of fire is also an important part of Holi as in this process, we offer our vasnas to Agni in order to transcend them eventually. Worshipping the fire during Holi also ushers in the warm season ahead as we move to the new year, marking the end of winter and the abundance of the upcoming spring harvest season. The colours of Holi are also a reflection of our joyful emotions and desires being now freely expressed. In the olden days the colours themselves that were used were natural and organic thus serving the dual purpose of being healthy for the body as well as healing our psyche. Nowadays this is not the case as the artificial colours we use are rather harmful and even toxic. The ayurvedic principle has been lost.

Lord Krishna and Holi

The stories of Sri Krishna’s boyhood pranks which so delighted the gopis (cowherd maids) of Vrindavan also form the essence of Holi. Though older than Krishna, the gopis were so charmed by Sri Krishna’s play that they themselves became like children again. Sri Krishna and the gopis are depicted as celebrating Holi in the hamlets of Gokul, Barsana and Vrindavan, bringing them alive with their mischief and youthful pranks. Holi was Krishna and the Gopi’s celebration of Love. This teasing, affectionate panorama of feeling and colour has been captured and immortalized in the songs on Holi.

Holi is also celebrated in memory of the immortal love of Lord Krishna and Radha. The young Krishna would complain to his mother Yashoda about why Radha was so fair and he so dark. Yashoda advised him to apply colour on Radha’s face and see how her complexion would change. In the legends of Krishna as a youth he is depicted playing all sorts of pranks with the gopis or cowgirls. One prank was to throw coloured powder all over them. So, at Holi, images of Krishna and his consort Radha are often carried through the streets. Holi is celebrated with great enthusiasm in the villages around Mathura, the birth-place of Krishna.

So let us also join together free from the binds of our self-created barriers and feel the happiness of Holi, forgetting ourselves and glimpsing the eternal joy residing in our soul.

The Real Spirit of Holi

Holi also means “sacrifice”. Burn all the impurities of the mind, such as egoism, vanity and lust, through the fire of devotion and knowledge. Ignite cosmic love, mercy, generosity, selflessness, truthfulness and purity through the fire of Yogic practice. This is the real spirit of Holi. Rise from the mire of stupidity and absurdity and dive deep into the ocean of divinity. 

Being all about love and new life, Holi is a time for repairing relationships and laughing with family and friends.