Holi is a festival of colour & is celebrated all over India. It is
also celebrated by Indians residing out of India. This festival
comes on the full moon day of Phagan - a Hindu month. This festival
bring new hope for all the people as it marks the end of chilled
winter days and the beginning of the summer. People forget their
enmity and throw away their worries. Every nook and corner presents
atypically colourful sight.
Everywhere people - young or old are drenched with different colours
and water which comes from everywhere, there are balloons bursting
and long piston squirting coloured water. People in small groups are
seen singing, dancing and throwing colours on each other.
According to legend Hirankashyap was a very powerful Devil. In his
fight against the Gods he had defeated the Gods and because of this
he became very egoistic and had issued an order that no one should
pray to God or even take the name of God. Due to fear people started
praying him. His son Pralhad was a true devotee of God. He didn't
obey his father's order. Hirankashyap got angry on him and order for
the most rigorous punishments to him. But this did no harm to
Pralhad. Hirankashyap had a sister by the name of Holika. She had
been granted a boon that fire will do no harm to her. Hirankashyap
ordered Holika to take Pralhad on her lap and sit on a bed of fire.
Holika was burnt in the fire and Pralhad survived with no harm done
to him. As a remembrance to that event people celebrate Holi by
burning wood and pray to Goddess Holi for their well being. Holi is
also associated with the immortal love of Krishna and Radha .
Holi is celebrated all over India, but is more predominant in North
India. Celebrations start a week earlier than rest of India. Men of
Nandagaon (place where Lord Krishna grew up) raid Barsana (place
where Radha grew up) with hopes of raising their flag over Shri
Radhikaji's temple. They receive a thunderous welcome as the women
of Barsana greet them with long wooden sticks. The men are soundly
beaten as they attempt to rush through town to reach the relative
safety of Shri Radhikaji's temple. Men are well padded as they are
not allowed to retaliate. In this mock battle the men try their best
not to be captured. Unlucky captives can be forcefully lead away,
thrashed and dressed in female attire before being made to dance.
In short the celebration of Holi bears witness to a feeling of
oneness and sense of brother-hood and creates a colourful atmosphere
.