Holi announces the arrival of spring and the passing of winter. It is funfilled, boisterous and popular festival of India, celebrated on the full moon day of Phalgun of Hindu calendar (March). Holi is a festival of colours. It is an ancient festival and finds a mention in old Sanskrit literature. On this day everybody is in high spirit. It is a day when old grievances and tensions are forgotten.
The festival has a long traditional links with several legends. According to one popular legend, the word Holi is derived from the she demon, Holika. She was the sister of Hiranyakashyap, a demon king, who having defeated the Gods, proclaimed his own supremacy over anyone else in the universe. Enraged over his son´s (Prahlad) ardent devotion to Lord Vishnu, Hiranyakashyap decided to punish him. He took the help of his sister Holika, who possessed the boon of being immune to fire, to destroy Prahlad. Holika made the young Prahlad sit in her lap and took her seat in a blazing fire with full conviction that the fire would not harm her. But a divine intervention destroyed her and saved Prahlad from getting burned. Thus, Holi is celebrated to mark the burning of the evil Holika.
According to another legend it is said that Putana, a she demon was sent by the cruel king Kansa to kill child Krishna. In guise of a beautiful woman Putana went about in the village of Nandgoan suckling every child to death. But infant Krishna sucked her breasts till blood started flowing and she succumbed to death. On the Holi eve, bonfires are lighted to celebrate the victory of Krishna and the death of Putana.
People burn the Holika tree on the eve of Holi. Folklore and dances are performed around the fire to welcome the new season. On the morning of Holi, groups of people men, women and children move from house to house, smear each other with bright coloured powder known as gulal, throw water filled ballons at one another and drench each other with coloured water using phickaris. Men,women and children participate in the merrymaking. Youngsters seek the blessings of the elders and enjoy the delicacies such as gujhiya, besan ki papadi, etc.
In places like Mathura and Vrindavan where Krishna cult flourishes, the festival is celebrated with great vigour and tradition. Especially famous is the Lathmaar holi of Barsana and Nandagoan. In Bengal this festival is known by the name of Dol Jatra or Dol Purnima. On this day the idol of Mahaprabhu Chaitanya is placed in a palanquin and is taken around the main streets and devotees smear Krishna´s idol with gulal.
In Maharashtra Holi is commonly known by the name Shimga and Rangapanchami. The fisher folk celebrate it by singing, dancing and merrymaking. In Tamil Nadu Holi is known by three different names?Kamavilas, Kaman Pandigai and Kama Dahanam.
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