A Page from History : Holi is here Again!

By UC Chopra
Holi, our great national festival which takes places during the month of Phalguna at the time of vernal equinox,  is our people’s way of ushering in the spring. It is, to start with, a spring festival in its essential nature. As a matter of fact, it is a festival of joy and pastoral revelry, when people would go in for rough and tumble with their friends and fellows by pouring through a squirt coloured water upon their clothes or smearing red power on their face and body. This auspicious day reflect the resonant fervour of heart glowing with the feeling of unrestricted fellowship.
This popular spring festival has been associated in the national mind with the sportive mirth of Lord Krishna with His mundane mates in Brindaban ages ago. The fullness of life and joy found its deepest and highest expression in the person of Lord Krishna. He celebrated the ‘Phalguni Poornima’ Day in Brindaban on the banks of the river Jamuna and since then the Holi festival has emerged itself in the modern Swing festival and is observed throughout the length and breadth of this country.
Festival of Fire
On the full moon day of the month of ‘Phalgun’ a bonfire is prepared and ignited according to prescribed rites amidst exciting cries of victory “Jai!Jai!” With the ears of wheat and grain tried to a long sugarcane people circumambulate the fire seven time and offer other produce of the harvest to the rising flames. Brands of fire are then taken by all to their respective homes where ladies ignite their small holi made of cowdung strings piled up in a pyramid over beautiful geometrical symbols drawn with the help of wheat flour and coloured powder.
It is a common belief of the rural people that the  bonfire destroys the evil spirits and witches. It is with this motive that many go for Holi ‘tapna’. Further, they use the ashes of the bonfire as a talisman against devils and demons. The morning following the bonfire is the day of colour sprinkling. In order to express their joy the people throw coloured water at each other and apply coloured powder to each other.
Dates Back to Prahlad
An average man of the rural areas  cares to know about is what he has been told by the village priest. The main story that holds the imagination of the masses is that of Prahlad, the son of mighty King Hiranya Kashyap, who claimed to be Infinite God himself. Prahlad on the other hand was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu and, therefore, incurred the wrath of his father. Having failed to bring his son round the king, decided to put an end to his life. He had been thrown down a precipice and trampled under the feet of a furious elephant, but on every such attempt the earnest devotee came out unhurt evermore resigned to the will of his Lord. Ultimately the king decided to consign him to the flames. A pyre was prepared and ‘Holika’ the sister of the king with her unvulnerable chaddar,  sat with the boy in her lap. And Lo! When the pyre was set to fire the chaddar flew over, ‘Holika’ was reduced to ashes, Prahlad came out of the fire smiling, singing  hymns in praise of his Lord. Thus, according to Hindu tradition, the bonfire of the Holi festival is in commemoration of the bonfire which could not consume Prahald who was righteous but it consumed his enemies.
Social Significance
To me, the significance of this festival appears to be mainly social. In the first instance it is a free day for innocent enjoyment and serves as a barometer to guage one’s taste and refinement. We should therefore, display standards which may be at once inviting and artistic. Secondly, this serves as a great annual occasion to patch up differences and foster love and fellow feeling. It is not a novel interpretation either. In ‘Shanti Parva’ of the great epic Mahabharat  sage Narada advises Yudhishthira, “O King, grant complete freedom from fear– Abhaya Dan—to your subjects and you too participate in their enjoyment.”
Remembrance, through such festivals, of the holy occasions connected in the popular mind with  some performance of God in human form not only serves to elevate our social and individual being but keeps alive the hoary cultural and religious traditions of our people.