Why is Holi celebrated?

The Spring Festival ‘Holi’ is celebrated by the Hindu community residing all over the world. The festival is so fun and engaging that everyone bows down to its attractive and vibrant colors. It has taken the form more of a community sport where distinguished by caste or creed, religion or sect, people of all ages come together in a group having fun smearing, throwing and splashing colors on each other.

Holi is celebrated on Phalgun Purnima at the end of the winter season on the last full moon day of the lunar month Phalguna-February/March. This year it is celebrated on March 20.

Holi is named in various ways by different communities in India. There are also many themes behind the celebration of this festival. But, whatever the name or theme, the uniqueness of this party is getting muddy, throwing and splashing colors on each other. All look the same stained with these colors, their hearts and souls transmit the message of brotherhood and universal equality. Let this Holi mark the most joyous event of the year in your life and bring happiness and fortune in vibrant rainbow colors.

origin of holi

hindu mythology

The story of Hiranyakashipu and Prahlada

According to Vaisnava theology, a great demon king named Hiranyakashipu lived there. Through his long penance, he won Lord Brahma’s heart. He had been given a boon that made it nearly impossible for him to be killed. A boon had been bestowed upon him that he would not be killed during the day or night, neither by astra (weapon) nor by shastra (philosophy or worship), inside or outside the house, neither by man nor by animal, nor on earth or in heaven. He began to demand that the people and the gods begin to worship him. He started attacking Earth and Heaven.

Hiranya kashipu had a sound. Her name was Prahlada. Prahlada was a devotee of Lord Vishnu. His father, Hiranyakashipu, had warned him several times not to worship Lord Vishnu, but he never obeyed. So, Hiranya Kashipu finally decided to kill his son Prahlada. Hiranyakashipu’s attempts to kill Prahlada failed. Finally, he decided to make his son sit on his sister’s lap on a pyre which they set on fire. Hiranyakashipu’s sister, Holika, the demoness had a boon that would prevent her from being burned. When the pyre began to burn, Prahlada was unharmed while Holika was reduced to ashes.

Holika burning is celebrated as Holi. Later Lord Vishnu came in the form of Narasimha (who is half man and half lion); he held Hiranyakashipu on the porch steps of his house, who was neither inside nor outside the house, and killed him at sunset, which was neither day nor night. Narasimha took Prahlada on his lap, who is neither on earth nor in heaven, and tore him apart with his claws, which are neither astra nor shastra.

Legend of love Krishna-Radha

In memory of the love of Lord Krishna and Radha, Holi is celebrated for sixteen days in Vrindavan and Mathura, where Lord Krishna grew up. This celebration concludes at Rangpanchami. It once happened that Lord Krishna complained to his mother about the contrast between her dark skin complexion and Radha’s fair skin complexion. By doing this repeatedly, Krishna’s mother decided to apply color to Radha’s face. When she was done, she was liked by Krishna and all his friends. Since then, Lord Krishna, along with his friends, popularized this festival by staining the gopis and Radha with colors. Since this incident took place during the spring season, since then Holi is celebrated during spring, the famous season of love.

Kamadeva’s story

Lord Shiva was in deep meditation to get Goddess Parvati as his wife. The God of love, KamaDeva, fired his weapon at Lord Shiva to get Parvati as his wife. The God of love, Kamadeva, fired his weapon at Lord Shiva to break his meditation. Lord Shiva opened his third eye and looked at Kama Deva. KamaDeva’s body was reduced to ashes as Lord Shiva’s gaze was so powerful. Rati, wife of Lord KamaDeva, pleaded with Lord Siva to send her husband back to her. For her sake, God KamaDeva’s body was restored only as a mental image. Holi bonfire is held in memory of this incident.

Holi: the harvest festival

Holi is celebrated with great enthusiasm and enthusiasm in North India as the harvest festival of summer. Holi is prominent in Kashmir as the harvest of the summer harvest. Holi is a very big festival here. People celebrate this harvest festival by throwing colored water and powder, singing and dancing thanking God for helping them with the bountiful harvest. So, Holi is a harvest festival that is celebrated with colors and sweets.

science and holi

Impact of colors and herbs

Spring is the transition period during which the weather changes. It is the end of the winter season and the arrival of summer. Bacteria, viruses and other harmful germs are activated and cause harmful diseases that spread harmful germs that cause contagious diseases such as viral fever, cold, meals, chickenpox, cholera, etc. Most people depended on Ayurveda and herbal medicine. Natural epidemics would wipe out the population by the thousands causing death.

So, as a preventative measure, people would playfully throw natural colored powders that had medicinal significance. Colors are very important for the human being and the skin. These colors were traditionally made from Neem, Kumkum, Haldi, Bilwa and other medicinal herbs prescribed by Ayurvedic doctors.

When these colored powders and liquids were smeared and splashed, they helped to inoculate and kill germs in homes, surroundings, and the human body. These colors were also used to spray fields to protect crops from pests and diseases and to store grain in healthy granaries. Over time, this practice culminated in a fanfare sport and took the form of Holi, the colorful festival.

Impact of Special Holi Drink-Thandai:

People prepare a special drink on Holi called Thandai. This drink is prepared with milk, almonds, pistachios, rose petals, sugar cane juice and medicinal herbs. This drink helps to rejuvenate the human body and increases the energy level.

Impact of Holi Bonfire-Holika Dahan or Kama Dahanam:

The day before Holi, bonfires are lit, also known as Holika Dahan or Kama Dahanam. According to the Hindu ritual, people sing and dance around the bonfire. While we are having parikrama or moving around the bonfire, the temperature of the burning bonfire helps to kill the microorganisms and destroy the germs in our body and environment. In this way, the bonfire helps eradicate disease-causing germs, bacteria, and viruses and keeps mankind safe from harmful diseases.

Freshly harvested sheaves of green gram and wheat are roasted at the stake and eaten. This is a healthy food during the spring season. This helps stimulate the body and energizes your metabolism.

This year while celebrating Holi, inhyderabadmall is very happy to share the happiest moments with all of you. Their Holi Shop is rich in its versatile collection of Special Holi Sarees, Special Holi Gifts, Holi Colours, Holi Bombs, Holi Sweets, Holi Cakes and Holi Flowers.