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The ‘festival of colours’, Holi, is one of India’s most colorful celebrations, observed with great zeal and fervor. It brings joy to life and represents the victory of good over evil as well as the approach of spring. The festival is being held on March 25 this year. Every year, people celebrate Holi with a variety of colors, lively music, quality time with loved ones, and delectable sweets.
In addition to being a celebration of the arrival of Spring, the event is also considered as a chance for individuals to let go of their inhibitions and start again.
The celebrations last over two days, with Choti Holi or Holika Dahan taking place before Dhulandi or Rangwali Holi. It symbolizes good triumphing over evil. The Hindu month of Phalgun, which comes between February and March, is when it happens. People use balloons, flowers, water, and color to commemorate the day. Children and adults both apply gulal on one another and seek blessings from their elders.
Holi 2024 History and Significance
The celebration of Holi commemorates the victory of good over evil as well as the celestial love that Lord Krishna and Radha had. In celebration of the approach of spring and the end of winter, it is also observed as a harvest feast. Hindu mythology states that Lord Krishna had a dark complexion, whereas Radha was exceedingly fair. Krishna often complained to his mother Yashoda about his differences in skin tone and worried if Radha would accept him. Yashoda once joked that Krishna should paint a new color on Radha’s face to cover up any flaws. Krishna smeared Radha’s face with gulal, following his mother’s advice. And so the Holi festival got underway.
A different narrative connected to Holi relates the tale of King Hiranyakashipu, his demon-possessed aunt Holika, and his son Prahalad, a devotee of Lord Vishnu. Indian mythology states that Hiranyakashipu received a blessing that made it impossible for animals or humans to kill him. Thus, he forced them to adore him. However, when the youngster turned into a devotee of Lord Vishnu and refused to worship him, Hiranyakashipu instructed his sister Holika to have his son executed by sitting on a funeral pyre and covering himself with a cloth to shield himself from the flames. However, in response to Prahlad’s prayer to Lord Vishnu for protection, the latter sent a blast of wind that brought the fabric from Holika to him. Thus, Holika Dahan is observed the day before Holi to commemorate the triumph of good over evil.
Holi 2024 Celebrations:
The Braj regions, which are linked to Lord Krishna, are the locations of a lavish Holi festival. These places include Mathura, Vrindavan, Gowardhan, Gokul, Nandagaon, and Barsana. Phoolwali Holi in Vrindavan and Lathmar Holi, a traditional Holi celebration in Barsana, are two of the most well-known Holi events worldwide. The two-day festival, Rangwali Holi (also called Dhulandi) and Chhoti Holi (also called Holika Dahan), is celebrated. People build bonfires on Holika Dahan as a symbol of the victory of good over evil. The following day, they rise early to play with colors or gulal. Kids use water balloons and toy guns to play with their buddies. They also consume thandai and sweets made specifically for thefestival are also enjoyed by the public.
