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puraaAN kthaa (historic
stories) of
THE ORIGIN, MEANING AND veDik SIGNIFICANCE OF
CELEBRATION OF HOLI FESTIVAL
AMONG DIFFERENT veDik PEOPLES
From
YOUR INDIAN COOK
BARWACHI WEB SITE:
By Malini Bisen
Holi is the most colourful festival of the Hindus and
falls on the Full moon day in the month of Phalgun according to the Hindu
Calendar which is the month of March as per the Gregorian Calendar. This
Holi festival has many elements of primitive and prolific rites and reveries
that have defied civilisation and prudery. During the three days of this
festival, particularly the whole country, towns, cities and villages - go
gay with merry makers, streets, parks and public places are crowded with
people, daubed in diverse colours, looking funny and ridiculous. Children
and youngsters vie with each other in being original and use fast and sticky
colours. It is all a mirthful abandon for them.
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.
In those days Holi was celebrated as "Vasantotsav". Acclaiming it as a
spring festival Mahakavi Kalidas has called it "MADANOTSAV". The famous
Bhavbhooti in his play "Maltic-Madhav" mentioned that the King mingled with
his subjects and shared the maddening merriment of Holi.
The mythological origins of this festival vary in different parts of the
country. In South India specially in Tamilnadu and Kerala the legend that is
popular is of Kamdev-the Love-god, his bow is of sugarcane having the string
of a line of humming bees and his arrow-shafts are topped with passion that
pierce the heart. In spring he moves through woodlands and hunts birds,
beasts and men. Once in his foolish pride, he aimed his arrow at the mighty
Lord Shiv who was in deep meditation. Lord Shiv opened his third eye and
burnt him to ashes. Grief-stricken Rati, Kamdev's wife beseeched Lord Shiv
to take pity on her and restore her husband to life. Shiv relented and
granted her the boon that she could see her husband but he would remain
"anang" that meant without the physical human form. Hence, the songs sung
during Holi tell the pathetic tale of Rati and her lamentations. In
Tamilnadu Holi is known by three different names - Kamavilas, Kaman Pandigai
and Kama-dahanam.
Lord Krishna, the 8th incarnation of Lord Vishnu is also
worshipped during the Holi festival, which is celebrated as a commemoration
of a mythological incident. Putana, the she-demon was sent by the cruel king
Kamsa to kill the child Krishna. In guise of a beautiful woman, Putana went
about in the village of Nandgaon suckling every child to death. But the
infant Krishna sucked her breasts till blood started flowing and she
succumbed to her death. Hence, on the previous evening of the Holi day,
bonfires are lighted to celebrate the victory of Krishna and the death of
Putana. Those who attribute the origin of festivals to seasonal cycles
maintain that Putana represents winter and her death the cessation and end
of winter.
The mighty king Hiranyakashyapu in his stupendous ego ordered his people to
worship him as god. His son Prahlad defying his father's orders continued
his worship of Lord Vishnu. The king wanting to kill Prahlad and wipe out
the very name of Lord Vishnu sent his sister Holika, who possessed the boom
of never being burnt by fire, to destroy Prahlad. She cajoled the young
Prahlad to sit in her lap and she herself took her seat in a blazing fire
with the full conviction that fire could never touch her. But Holika was
devoured by the flames and Prahlad walked out of the fire unscathed and
alive. Perhaps this festival got its name from this incident. Certainly it
was the victory of good over Evil! |
In North India and Uttar Pradesh, this victory is
celebrated, effigies of Holika are burnt in the huge bonfires that are lit.
This tradition is also followed in Gujarat and Orissa. To render
greatfulness to Agni, god of Fire, gram and stalks from the harvest are also
offered to Agni with all humility.
In Bengal this festival is known by the name of Dol Jatraor Dol Purnima. On
this day the idol of Mahaprabhu Chaitanya, placed in a pictursuqely
decorated palanquin is taken round the main streets of the city. The head of
the Bengali family observes fast and prays to Lord Krishna and Agnidev.
After all the traditional rituals are over, he smears Krishna's idol with
gulal and offers "bhog" to both Krishna and Agnidev.
Krishna's love-play with gopi's is known all over the country. Hence, in
places like Mathura and Vrindawan where Krishna cult flourished and is
followed even to-day, this Holi festival is celebrated with songs, music,
plays and dances and of course coloured waters are thrown on each other. In
Nandagaon where the young Krishna played all his youthful pranks. Holi is
observed for many days and also in Barsana which was the birthplace of Radha
Krishna's beloved. The men-folk of Nandagaon and the women-folk of Barsana
come together and play the game of "Huranga" in which men abuse women and in
retaliation women beat them with sticks that the men try to avoid with their
shields.
This festival of Holi still retains to charm in Gurudev Rabindranath
Tagore's Shanti Niketan. On the Dol Purnima day in the early morning the
students dress up in saffron-coloured clothes and wear garlands of fragrant
flowers. They sing and dance to the accompaniment of musical instruments
before their teachers and the invited guests, sitting in a colourfully
decorated dais. In the end dry gulal powder and the auspicious black abhir
is smeared on the foreheads of everyone. Use of liquid colours is fully
forbidden.
The Sikh community also celebrates Holi with feasting and merriment and call
it Hola Mohalla.
In Maharashtra Holi is commonly known by the name of "Shimga" and is also
called RANGAPANCHAMI. The fisherfolk celebrate it on a large-scale with
hilarious singing, dancing and merry-making. To-day this festival retains
its significance mostly in middle-class and the poorer sections of the
state.
During the Maratha regime this festival was celebrated with great pomp and
grandeur. It was on a Holi festival day that five year Jijabhai, daughter of
Lakhooji Jadhav innocently splashed coloured water and threw gulal on young
shahaji, son of Malajirao Bhowale. Taking it as an auspicious event, the two
children's engagement was announced that very day. Soon they were married.
Shivaji, the son born to this couple fought valiantly and shook the very
foundation of the powerful Mogul empire. Thus Shivaji established the
Maratha empire and changed the course of history.
As years rolled by this age-old festival of Holi acquired a new
significance. Besides being a spring festival it also become the harvest
festival. The winter crop of Rabi gets ripe and the corns of wheat become
golden. So Holi means to the farmers joyful celebration of new harvest and
bubbling with joy and excitement at the prospect of prosperity they offer
their first crop to Agnidev - the god of Fire - who for centuries has been
looked upon with love and esteem by the Aryans. Only after this offering of
first harvest to Agnidev, the farmers use the crop for their personal
consumption.
On the eve of Holi, huge bonfires are lit with logs of wood, basketful of
cowdung cakes, ghee, honey and the new crop brought fresh from the fields.
When the fire leaps up in high and strong flames all those present, walk
around the bonfire seven times, pray and invoke the blessings of Agnidev.
Women prepare delicious sweets and put in the bonfire as "Naivedya" to
Agnidev. When the fire lies down, water is splashed on the embers and the
ash from the extinguished fire is applied on the forehead by everyone. Some
of the ash is preserved in the house all through the year to apply to the
foreheads of children as an effective remedy against any impending evil.
The ancient tradition of the Aryans of celebrating the festival of Holi in
honour and in devotion to Agnidev - the god of Fire - continues even to-day
in the modern world of science and technology. Indeed it is a festival which
gives men a thrilling spell of happiness and despite from their problems of
everyday life.
This festival of Holi - a festival of myriad colours, of gaity, of
friendships and re-unions all over the country. Thus Holy is certainly a
vital part of our Indian life and culture in which religion still is a
living force. |
