Holi is one of the major festivals of India and is the most vibrant of all. The joy of Holi knows no bounds and is celebrated in every state of India, or rather among all Indians across the globe. The festival is filled with so much fun and frolic that the mere mention of the word "Holi" makes people smile and brings enthusiasm. Holi also celebrates the arrival of spring (basant utsav) , a season of joy and hope.
The day before Holi, there is a tradition of 'Holika Dahan', which is actually the lighting of a bonfire. The ritual is a symbol of the victory of good over evil and has its roots in the legend of the demon king Hiranyakashyap who wanted to kill his son, Prahlad. The king's sister Holika was blessed with the blessing that she could not be harmed by fire. They made Holika sit with her nephew on her lap and light a bonfire but it turned out that Holika burned up and Prahlad came out unharmed. Since then, the day is celebrated in the victory of good over evil.
(Image borrowed from Google)
The festivals are one of the oldest in India. There are many interesting stories related to the origin of the festival and ancient paintings and scriptures depict the roots of the festival. The legend of Holi and the most popular stories of its origin are related to 'Holika Dahan' and the love between Radha and Krishna. The legend of Radha and Krishna is closely linked to this tradition of colors. Young Krishna, who had a dark complexion, was jealous of his beloved Radha's extremely fair skin. In a mischievous mood, he spilled colors on Radha's face. Following this ancient legend, playing with colors on this day has become an expression of love. Temples are beautifully decorated on the occasion and devotees beat drums and sing Holi songs. Small plays are organized to reflect the spirit of the festival.
Gulal (coloring powder) and water guns and gujia (sweets, nuts and raisins stuffed in dough and deep-fried) and other sweets characterize the festival. The celebration is planned several days in advance to be the first to color the other and people love to douse others and themselves in colored water. The whole country is colored with laughter, fun, dance and music. For those of you who have never experienced it, one can draw parallels to Carnival in Brazil, not as a parade, but a folk festival where people celebrate with their friends, family or with neighbors. The day is also used as an excuse to get drunk on bhang (Cannabis), to get open not only to the heart's content but also the lungs. The motto of the day is: 'Bura na mano Holi hai'. Which means that no one is expected to be offended, it is Holi after all.
Borrowed the image from Google to show you what gujia looks like.
Here is a picture of me from 1997 where I was immediately declared Ronja the Robber's Daughter by my 3 year old daughter :) It's fun to look back at old pictures! The other is of me and my brother-in-law.
Happy Holi to all my friends! Hope it is celebrated with great pomp :)