Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Wish you a very Happy HOLI Day wishes....
Hello All,
I wish you and your family, friends, near and dear........
A very happy and joyful, safe and colourful ‘Holi’ Day wishes (11/03/09).
Holi (referred to as ‘Phagwa’ in Bhojpuri), also called the ‘Festival of Colours’, is a popular Hindu spring festival observed in India, Suriname, Guyana, Trinidad, the UK and Nepal. In West Bengal, it is known as Dolyatra (Doljatra) or Boshonto Utsav and in South India, it is called Vasantotsavam (spring festival).
Holi takes place over two days in the later part of February or March. As per the Hindu calendar, it falls on the Phalgun Purnima (or Pooranmashi, Full Moon Day). On the first day, burning of the demoness Holika, demon Hiranyakashipu's sister, in huge bonfires at night. It is called 'Kama dahanam' in Andhra Pradesh. On the second day, known as Dhulheti, people spend the day throwing coloured powder and water at each other. A special drink called thandai/bhang is prepared on this day and is taken during the celebrations. Rangapanchami occurs a few days later on a Panchami (fifth day of the full moon), marking the end of festivities involving colours. Apart from being such a colourful festival, there are various aspects of Holi which makes it so significant for our lives. Ranging from socio-cultural, religious to biological there is every reason why we must heartily enjoy the festival and cherish the reasons for its celebrations.
Holi gets us close to our religion and our mythology as it is essentially the celebration of various legends associated with the festival. Foremost is the legend of Prahlad and Hiranyakashyap. The legend says there once lived a devil and powerful king, Hiranyakashyap who considered himself a god and wanted everybody to worship him. To his great ire, his son, Prahlad began to worship, Lord Vishnu. To get rid of his son, Hiranyakashyap asked his sister, Holika to enter a blazing fire with Prahlad in her lap, as she had a boon to enter fire unscathed. Legend has it that Prahlad was saved for his extreme devotion for the lord while Holika paid a price for her sinister desire. The tradition of burning Holika or the 'Holika dahan' comes mainly from this legend.
Celebration of the various legends associated with Holi are meant to reassure people of the power of the truth as the moral of all these legends is the ultimate victory of good over evil. The legend of Hiranyakashyap and Prahlad also points to the fact that extreme devotion to God pays as God always takes his true devotee in his shelter. All these legends help people to follow a righteous life and believe in the virtue of being truthful. Holi helps to bring diverse sections of society together and strengthen the secular fabric of our country. The festival is celebrated by Hindus and non-Hindus alike. The festival aims to break down barriers between the rich and poor when all sections of society celebrate together with a spirit of brotherhood. Also, playful throwing of the coloured powders traditionally made of Neem, Kumkum, Haldi, Bilva (Indian Lilac, Saffron, Turmeric, Bael) and other medical herbs has a medicinal significance as per Ayurveda.
In Mathura, the birth place of Lord Krishna, this day is celebrated with special puja and the traditional custom of worshipping Lord Krishna. Bengalis celebrate Holi as Dol Yatra or the swing festival where the icons of Krishna and Radha are placed on swings and women sing devotional songs, throw colours and flowers on them and perform dances as devotees take turns to swing them. The people of Orissa celebrate Holi in a similar manner but here the idols of Jagannath, the deity of the Jagannath Temple of Puri, replace the idols of Krishna and Radha. In Hyderabad, Holi is celebrated with great fervor and is celebrated over two days. Gifts play an important role during Holi. Holi is a festival of fun, romance and brotherhood. A box of Sweets and Gujjias go in the mood with this fun festival and are one of the most popular gifts of Holi.
Many many happy returns of the day.
All the best and take care….
With thanks, regards and best wishes,
G.Srikanth.
I wish you and your family, friends, near and dear........
A very happy and joyful, safe and colourful ‘Holi’ Day wishes (11/03/09).
Holi (referred to as ‘Phagwa’ in Bhojpuri), also called the ‘Festival of Colours’, is a popular Hindu spring festival observed in India, Suriname, Guyana, Trinidad, the UK and Nepal. In West Bengal, it is known as Dolyatra (Doljatra) or Boshonto Utsav and in South India, it is called Vasantotsavam (spring festival).
Holi takes place over two days in the later part of February or March. As per the Hindu calendar, it falls on the Phalgun Purnima (or Pooranmashi, Full Moon Day). On the first day, burning of the demoness Holika, demon Hiranyakashipu's sister, in huge bonfires at night. It is called 'Kama dahanam' in Andhra Pradesh. On the second day, known as Dhulheti, people spend the day throwing coloured powder and water at each other. A special drink called thandai/bhang is prepared on this day and is taken during the celebrations. Rangapanchami occurs a few days later on a Panchami (fifth day of the full moon), marking the end of festivities involving colours. Apart from being such a colourful festival, there are various aspects of Holi which makes it so significant for our lives. Ranging from socio-cultural, religious to biological there is every reason why we must heartily enjoy the festival and cherish the reasons for its celebrations.
Holi gets us close to our religion and our mythology as it is essentially the celebration of various legends associated with the festival. Foremost is the legend of Prahlad and Hiranyakashyap. The legend says there once lived a devil and powerful king, Hiranyakashyap who considered himself a god and wanted everybody to worship him. To his great ire, his son, Prahlad began to worship, Lord Vishnu. To get rid of his son, Hiranyakashyap asked his sister, Holika to enter a blazing fire with Prahlad in her lap, as she had a boon to enter fire unscathed. Legend has it that Prahlad was saved for his extreme devotion for the lord while Holika paid a price for her sinister desire. The tradition of burning Holika or the 'Holika dahan' comes mainly from this legend.
Celebration of the various legends associated with Holi are meant to reassure people of the power of the truth as the moral of all these legends is the ultimate victory of good over evil. The legend of Hiranyakashyap and Prahlad also points to the fact that extreme devotion to God pays as God always takes his true devotee in his shelter. All these legends help people to follow a righteous life and believe in the virtue of being truthful. Holi helps to bring diverse sections of society together and strengthen the secular fabric of our country. The festival is celebrated by Hindus and non-Hindus alike. The festival aims to break down barriers between the rich and poor when all sections of society celebrate together with a spirit of brotherhood. Also, playful throwing of the coloured powders traditionally made of Neem, Kumkum, Haldi, Bilva (Indian Lilac, Saffron, Turmeric, Bael) and other medical herbs has a medicinal significance as per Ayurveda.
In Mathura, the birth place of Lord Krishna, this day is celebrated with special puja and the traditional custom of worshipping Lord Krishna. Bengalis celebrate Holi as Dol Yatra or the swing festival where the icons of Krishna and Radha are placed on swings and women sing devotional songs, throw colours and flowers on them and perform dances as devotees take turns to swing them. The people of Orissa celebrate Holi in a similar manner but here the idols of Jagannath, the deity of the Jagannath Temple of Puri, replace the idols of Krishna and Radha. In Hyderabad, Holi is celebrated with great fervor and is celebrated over two days. Gifts play an important role during Holi. Holi is a festival of fun, romance and brotherhood. A box of Sweets and Gujjias go in the mood with this fun festival and are one of the most popular gifts of Holi.
Many many happy returns of the day.
All the best and take care….
With thanks, regards and best wishes,
G.Srikanth.
# posted by Srikanth @ 2:51 PM 
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