Holi : The Festival of India : Holika Dahan
Since times immemorial Holi is a major festival of India with a wide participation. Holi is celebrated on two days and has been bifurcated into two parts : Holika Dahan on day one ( burning of a heap of logs and woods etc with Puja) and Dhulendi on day two (celebration with colors).
Holi is celebrated in the spring season when the major agricultural produce is ready in the fields. The farmers are about to harvest the wheat crop and it is a tradition to offer the first symbolic lot to Agni dev ( The God of Fire ) before they start the consumption for themselves or sell some part of it to be consumed by others in cities. A big heap of logs and wood is collected at common places of residential areas like entrace , parks etc and it is put on fire after some religious rituals. This pratice is known as Holika Dahan or Holi Dahan.
As per Hindu mythology Holika was the sister of mighty demon king Hiranyakashyap and she had Lord Vishnu's blessing to-withstand-fire-and-heat. Hiranyakashyap wanted to conquer Lord Vishnu while his son Prahlad was an ardent follower and devotee of Lord Vishnu. Son denied to accept the supremacy of his father above the almighty Lord Vishnu. Hiranyakashyap got upset and decided to kill his rebellion son. His sister Holika took child Prahlad in her lap and sat on a big fire with an intention to burn the child. The child started enchanting the hymns of almighty god and came out of the fire without any harm while Holika got burnt in the fire as both Holika and the Child were asking for god's favour and God decided to help the one who was right. Here Holika symbolises the evil. So Holika Dahan symbolises the cremation of evil on an annual basis.
Holi is celebrated at the conjuction of winter season with summer. So on the first day of Holi the festival and celebrations concentrate around bonfire which is the last bonfire of the season while the second day of Holi symbolises the start of summer.Perhaps this is the reason that second day of Holi is to celebrate and play with colors and water...
Since times immemorial Holi is a major festival of India with a wide participation. Holi is celebrated on two days and has been bifurcated into two parts : Holika Dahan on day one ( burning of a heap of logs and woods etc with Puja) and Dhulendi on day two (celebration with colors).
Holi is celebrated in the spring season when the major agricultural produce is ready in the fields. The farmers are about to harvest the wheat crop and it is a tradition to offer the first symbolic lot to Agni dev ( The God of Fire ) before they start the consumption for themselves or sell some part of it to be consumed by others in cities. A big heap of logs and wood is collected at common places of residential areas like entrace , parks etc and it is put on fire after some religious rituals. This pratice is known as Holika Dahan or Holi Dahan.
As per Hindu mythology Holika was the sister of mighty demon king Hiranyakashyap and she had Lord Vishnu's blessing to-withstand-fire-and-heat. Hiranyakashyap wanted to conquer Lord Vishnu while his son Prahlad was an ardent follower and devotee of Lord Vishnu. Son denied to accept the supremacy of his father above the almighty Lord Vishnu. Hiranyakashyap got upset and decided to kill his rebellion son. His sister Holika took child Prahlad in her lap and sat on a big fire with an intention to burn the child. The child started enchanting the hymns of almighty god and came out of the fire without any harm while Holika got burnt in the fire as both Holika and the Child were asking for god's favour and God decided to help the one who was right. Here Holika symbolises the evil. So Holika Dahan symbolises the cremation of evil on an annual basis.
Holi is celebrated at the conjuction of winter season with summer. So on the first day of Holi the festival and celebrations concentrate around bonfire which is the last bonfire of the season while the second day of Holi symbolises the start of summer.Perhaps this is the reason that second day of Holi is to celebrate and play with colors and water...
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