HOLI THE FESTIVAL OF COLORS IN INDIA
History, Rituals, Tradition & Significance
HAPPY HOLI TO YOU ALL
DINESH VORA
HOLI - TODAY IS THE DAY OF BASANT PURNIMA
TODAY IS ALSO THE DAY OF SUPERMOON
THE BIGGEST FULL MOON IN 18 YEARS
The BHAVISHYA PURAN narrates a story in the context of this festival which is as follows - A female demon invaded a village and she started harassing little children. Hence the people obscenely abused and cursed her, they lit a fire everywhere to frighten her and thus drove her away.
In this festival the main emphasis is laid on the burning of HOLIKA or lighting of the HOLI bonfire. The origin of the traditional lighting of HOLI is attributed by some to the burning of 'evil' demons like HOLIKA, HOLAKA and PUTANA who troubled little children or to the burning of MADAN (the Deity of Beauty who tried to distract Lord SHIVA'S meditation) according to others.
According to some scholars this is probably a remnant of the tradition of fire worshippers. However one should not light the HOLI bonfire during the day. First the doer should purify himself and make the resolve "I am performing this ritual of worship along with my family to overcome the trouble wrought by the demons."
After the HOLI sacrificial fire dies down, it should be extinguished by sprinkling milk and GHEE and then fruits like coconuts and pomelo should be distributed to the people assembled there. The entire night should be spent joyfully in dance and song.
This particular full moon day carries special importance as this day holds the RAJA-TAMA in the atmosphere in its original fire-form (TEJ). This is the day when the Principle of the Primal SHAKTI from the Universe, which imparts dissolution, is active in a MARAK form. The worship of this Principle helps the JIVA by purifying its subtle body and to a certain extent the atmosphere around it is also purified. The worship performed on this day liberates the JIVA from its RAJA-TAMA orientation. Thus in a way, the JIVA is reborn after this POURNIMA.
Due to not being able to tolerate the MARAK SHAKTI and SATVIKTA of the Deities that get PRAKAT in this sacrificial fire, the negative energies get disturbed and begin to move at an incredible speed. Due to this, a negative pressure is created in the environment. The pockets of subtle vacuum in the atmosphere get filled with the negative energies and they start to dash into one another due to the sheer numbers rushing into the subtle vacuum at the same time. This causes them to create a yowling sound. This is why this HOLI POURNIMA is called HUTASHANI (yelling) POURNIMA.
Beginning from the full moon day (POURNIMA) of the HINDU lunar month of PHALGUN till the fifth day (PANCHAMI) this festival is celebrated for two to five days depending on the regional variations. It has various names such as HORI, DOLAYATRA in North India, SHIMGA, HOLI and HUTASHANI MAHOTSAV, HOLIKADAHAN (burning of HOLIKA) in GOA, KONKAN and MAHARASHÒRA and KAMADAHAN (burning of desires) in South Bharat. One can also call it VASANTOTSAV or VASANTAGAMANOTSAV that is the festival celebrated to welcome the VASANT (spring) season.
It is a festival of radiance (TEJ) in the universe. During this festival, different waves of radiance traverse the universe, thereby creating various colors that nourish and complement the function of respective elements in the atmosphere.
* Burn dry wood instead of wet wood.
* Do not steal wood for the HOLI bonfire.
* Celebrate HOLI keeping in mind its purpose of uniting the HINDUS.
Recently, citing reasons of deforestation, ANTI-DHARMIK Organizations like the ANDHA-SHRADDHA NIRMULAN SAMITI (ANIS) have been giving 'wrong' advice to the people in society encouraging them to use garbage to light the HOLI fire. One should not light the HOLI sacrificial fire with garbage, since it pollutes the environment. Rather, if HOLI is celebrated with the BHAV of worshipping the Deity HOLIKA, the atmosphere will become SATTVIK.
Dry wood should be used instead of felling good trees to light HOLI fires. Also, the basic objective of celebrating HOLI is to forget our differences and come together. If people bear this in mind and celebrate the festival, they can save wood by having just one HOLI sacrificial fire for the entire village or locality instead of each group separately burning wood for HOLI.
When HOLI is celebrated, as per traditional practices, it is essential that the sanctity of the religious practice be maintained. Sanctity will be lost if dirt and garbage is used for the sacrificial fire of HOLI.
In the present times, there are a lot of malpractices taking place in the name of celebrating HOLI. Similarly, on the day of RANGAPANCHAMI, people indulge in malpractices such as - throwing balloons filled with dirty water, applying dangerous dyes and colors to the body etc.
These malpractices harm DHARM, and thus, putting an end to them is our religious duty. Spread this word in society and even after doing so, if you come across such incidents, lodge complaints with the Police. Conducts public awareness campaigns in this regard.
The fire, which shines with its brilliance on HOLI, decomposes the RAJA-TAMA particles in the atmosphere and this helps activate various Deities in the form of colors. This bliss is celebrated by throwing colors in the air. Thus, RANG PANCHAMI is a symbol of victory over RAJA-TAMA. RANG PANCHAMI, played on FALGUN VADYA PANCHAMI involves invocation of Gods and is a part of worship of the manifest form of Gods.
Its purpose is to activate the five elements of radiant manifest colors and to touch and feel the Deities who are attracted to the respective colors. These five elements are a source, which help activate the element of the Deities according to the spiritual emotion of the JIVA. RANG PANCHAMI is the worship of the savior form of the Deities.
1. Do not apply colors forcibly. Stop people from doing so and give them the reasons.
2. Stop those who extort money from people on the roads.
3. Stop beggars from wearing masks of Deities.
4. Stop people from using excessive colors and hurling water balloons.
5. Do not use harmful chemical colors.
There is wide scale deforestation throughout the year on account of felling of trees for construction purposes, production of paper and other activities which are fuelled by man's selfish interests. However, so-called environmentalists ignore this and wake up from their slumber to create a hue and cry over the felling of trees on HOLI, the occasion of HINDUS that is celebrated just once in a year.
Their contention is that 'Trees are cut during HOLI, which causes damage to the environment'. They also make fake appeals like 'One should burn (eradicate) one's evil thoughts in the fire of HOLI'. They irreverently appeal to people to 'Burn garbage in the fire of HOLI'.
An appeal to all HINDUS that they should not fall prey to such misguided thoughts and pseudo appeals and should instead celebrate HOLI and RANGAPANCHAMI as prescribed by the HINDU Holy Scriptures by using natural colors.
The appeal letter further states that dry wood be used instead of felling good trees for HOLI. Also, the basic objective of celebrating HOLI is for one and all to forget their differences and come together. Thus, if people bear this in mind and celebrate the festival, they can save wood by having just one sacrificial fire of HOLI for the entire village or locality instead of each group separately burning wood for HOLI.
If the directive of the so-called environmentalists to burn garbage in the sacrificial fire of HOLI is followed, then poisonous gases emitted by poisonous waste will in turn lead to more pollution. Thus, do not implement such dangerous directives. When HOLI is celebrated, as per traditional practices, it is essential that the sanctity of the religious practice be maintained. The sanctity of the festival will be lost if dirt and garbage is used for the sacrificial fire of HOLI.
We also asserts that why does one need the pretext of HINDU festivals to burn (eradicate) one's evil thoughts; they (evil thoughts) can be eradicated at every moment, right through the entire year!
Several malpractices, such as the use of dangerous colors containing chemicals that harm the skin, throwing balloons at people which are filled with colors and dirty water, smearing colors on people forcibly, consuming liquor and misbehaving with ladies, eve teasing, fighting, polluting lakes and wells with colors, etc. have crept into the festival of RANGAPANCHAMI, which in reality is a blissful event.
An appeal to all to prevent the occurrence of such malpractices and celebrate the festival of RANGAPANCHAMI in a traditional way using natural colors.
DINESH VORA
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