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Deccan Herald » Festivals>>Holi
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There are many legends for celebrating Holi. There is one popular legend that is reputed to bring about the birth
of Holi. Long ago there was an evil king named King Hiranyakasipu. His son, prince Prahlad however was very holy and
often prayed to God and this infuriated his father. One day, the wicked king ordered his sister, the demon Holika, to kill his son. The
demon Holika, who was immune to fire, captured prince Prahlad and entered a fire furnace. She had done this to kill the prince,
however it was her who was burnt to ashes. Prince Prahlad was safe and was not burnt at all. The legend goes that before the demon
aunt died, she begged for prince Prahlad’s forgiveness and the prince forgave her and announced that her name would be remembered
once a year. Thus the festival Holi was created.
Another legend goes thus- it is based on the everlasting love between Krishna and Radha. It seemed
that in the Hindu mythology Lord Krishna was known to court Radha and the light-hearted mischievous courtship of his was linked to
Holi. Thus Holi is known to be the celebration of love between the two of them.
 Although Holi is observed all over the north, it's celebrated with special joy and zest at Mathura, Vrindavan, Nandgaon, and
Barsnar. These towns once housed the divine Krishna. Each area celebrates Holi differently; the Bhil tribesmen of western Madhya Pradesh, who've retained many of their pre-Hindu
customs, celebrate holi in a unique way. In rural Maharashtra State, where the festival is known as Rangapanchami, it is
celebrated with dancing and singing. In the towns of Rajasthan,especially Jaisalmer
- the music's great, and clouds of pink, green, and turquoise powder fill the air.
First comes Choti Holi or ‘Little Holi’. This is the night of the big bonfire, so everyone gets busy collecting firewood. Families and
friends get together around the bonfire. The festival's preamble begins on the night of the full moon. Bonfires are lit
on street corners to cleanse the air of evil spirits and bad vibes, and to symbolize the destruction of the wicked Holika, for whom the
festival was named. The following morning, the streets fill with people running, shouting, giggling and splashing.
Bhang and thandai add to the uninhibited atmosphere. Holi indicates a change of season from the winter to spring.
People pray for the prosperities of their families, villages etc. Originally a festival to celebrate good harvests and fertility of the land, Holi is now a symbolic commemmoration of
the legend from Hindu Mythology.
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