Holi festival :
Holi is a popular ancient Hindu festival, also known as the “Festival of Love”, the “Festival of Colours” and the “Festival of Spring”. The festival celebrates the eternal and divine love of Radha Krishna. It also signifies the triumph of good over evil, as it celebrates the victory of Vishnu as Narasimha Narayana over Hiranyakashipu. It originated and is predominantly celebrated in the South Asia but has also spread to other regions of Asia and parts of the Western world through the Indian diaspora.
Why and when it is celebrated ?
Holi celebrates the arrival of spring, the end of winter, the blossoming of love and for many, it is a festive day to meet others, play and laugh, forget and forgive, and repair broken relationships. The festival also celebrates the beginning of a good spring harvest season. It lasts for a night and a day, starting on the evening of the Purnima (Full Moon Day) falling in the Hindu calendar month of Phalguna, which falls around the middle of March in the Gregorian calendar.
The first evening is known as Holika Dahan (burning of Demon Holika) or Chhoti Holi and the following day as Holi, Rangwali Holi, Dol Purnima, Dhuleti, Dhulandi, Ukuli, Manjal Kuli, Yaosang, Shigmo or Phagwah, Jajiri.
Holi celebrations start on the night before Holi with a Holika Dahan where people gather,perform religious rituals in front of the bonfire, and pray that their internal evil be destroyed the way Holika, the sister of the demon king Hiranyakashipu, was killed in the fire. The next morning is celebrated as Rangwali Holi (Dhuleti) – a festival of colours people smear each other with colours and drench each other.
Traditional significance of powdered colours
The spring season, during which the weather changes, is believed to cause viral fever and cold. The playful throwing of natural coloured powders, called gulal has a medicinal significance: the colours are traditionally made of neem, kumkum, haldi, bilva, and other medicinal herbs suggested by Āyurvedic doctors.
Many colours are obtained by mixing primary colours. Artisans produce and sell many of the colours from natural sources in dry powder form, in weeks and months preceding Holi.
Each colour represent different things. Blue is the colour of Krishna, Red reflects the love and fertility, yellow is the colour of turmeric and green represents the spring and the new beginnings.
How to celebrate an eco friendly holi ?
To celebrate holi in an eco friendly way, play with natural colors, avoid using balloons and plastic and choose bio-degradable packaging to serve food. Burn environmental friendly waste for Holi bonfire. Create some Holi diys and crafts using papers and natural flowers. Make sweets or favourite recipes at home.
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