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Hindus welcome spring with Holi festival
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by Kaitlin | March 5, 2007 at 11:43 am
1427 views | 5 Recommendations | 5 comments
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Check out our awesome slideshow of Holi goers, which will evolve throughout the day.
Versions of the Hindu Holi festival (which is also called Phagwah or Dolyatra in some regions) have sprung up all over the world, in locales as unexpected as Queens, NY. In some places, the festival even transcends religious boundaries: in Punjab, it's said, festival goers include both Hindus and Sikhs, and in Queens religion didn't seem to matter as much as having a good time did.
Wikipedia sheds some light on the rituals of Holi: "On the first day, a bonfire is lit at night to signify burning Holika. On the second day, known as Dhulandi, people go around until afternoon throwing colored powder and water at each other. A special drink called thandai is prepared, sometimes containing bhang (Cannabis sativa). People invite each other to their houses for feasts and celebrations later in the evening. Rangapanchami occurs a few days later on a Panchami (fifth day of the full moon), marking the end of festivities involving colours.
This festival occurs at the onset of spring.
This period, during which the weather changes, is prone to cause viral
fever and cold. Thus, the playful throwing of the coloured powders has
a medicinal significance as the coloured powders are made of Neem, Kumkum, Haldi, Bilva, and other medicinal herbs prescribed by Āyurvedic doctors."
This festival of joy, mirth and buoyancy is celebrated when both Man and Nature cast off their winter gloom. Holi heralds the arrival of Spring - the season of hope and new beginnings and marks the rekindling of the spirit of life. Gulmohurs, corals, silk-cottons and mango trees start flowering, gardens and parks present a glorious spectacle of a riot of colours - crimson, red, pink, orange, golden yellow, lemon and a variety of glittering greens. Men who remained indoors during the cold months of winter emerge out to see a new sparkling world of colour and gaiety. The flowers breathe out their fragrance into space and brooks and streams leap in the valleys, Men rejoice with brilliant light of day and the eloquent silence of night. And then the joy bubbling in their hearts find expression in dance, drama and music. Holi also puts an end to the days of trials and tribulations for the poor who remained ill-clad and without adequate shelter during the chilling cold of the winter season.Holi is one of the most ancient festivals of the Aryans which finds an honoured mention in our old Sanskrit texts like Dashakumar Charit and Garud Puran. Even the play “Ratnavali” written by Harshdev in 7th century contains a delightful description of Holi festival.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (5)
at 12:42 on March 5th, 2007
This is so cool....
at 13:14 on March 5th, 2007
Wonderful!
at 13:25 on March 5th, 2007
This is one of those crazy stories that make me want to play hookey from work and go get colored.
at 21:27 on March 5th, 2007
Thank you very much, Kaitlin !!
I am proud that I have my son's picture in your story.
at 11:36 on March 7th, 2007
bit of useless trivia...its also customary for young folks to express their liking for each other by dumping coloured powder on em. Of course at the end of the day its impossible to identify who is who since everyone looks purple.