The Festival of Colors

Holi

The trees smile with their sprout
of fresh leaves and lovely blossoms
Eternal nature with its transient expression
Hails spring with ecstasy and joy!!
Amazing shades with so many hues
India, the land of beauty and traditions,
Has come alive to enjoy the spirit
Colors in the air painting the town red
No bad word is said
An experience of content and delight
A festival which also marks the end of evil
A festival which break all barriers
A festival which brings together even enemies
Red, green and countless colors
Are the prrof of people’s joy
A day filled with fun and lustre
A day to smear our dreams
With a splash of vibrant colors
Bura na mano, holi hai (Don’t feel bad, it’s holi!!)

     Like said in the poem, Holi is a day of various colors. It also signifies the end of dreary, harsh winters and coming of warm and pleasant spring and also the end of evil. Like any other festival, it also has a myth or a story behind it.

     Holika was the sister of Asura king Hiranyakashyap who hated Lord Vishnu but his son was a staunch devotee of Lord Vishnu. Hiranyakashyap was mad with fury and ordered his son to be killed. Prahlad, his son, was fearless because he had complete faith on his Lord. Even after repeated attempts like hurling him down from a mountain etc, Prahlad did not suffer even a scratch, then his father’s sister offered him to kill Prahlad by taking him on her lap and sitting in midst of fire because she had a boon which prevented her from getting burnt. His father agreed and the pyre was lit. But something very unexpected happened, Holika was reduced to ashes and Prahlad came out unscathed. So this is the story behind and that’s why it also signifies the end of evil just like Dussehra, which is another story and I will tell you some other time.

     This festival is mainly celebrated all over the Northern part of India, but now days, it is being celebrated in southern parts of India as well. It is celebrated with much gusto and fanfare, especially Vrindavan, the place which is considered to be the birth place of Lord Krishna, as people try to relive those days when Lord Krishna played hoi with his gopis and devotees. There, Holi is not just one day’s festival, its festivities start before a wekk. People literally go crazy on the day of Holi.

     But there is a flip side too. The colors people use are highly toxic and harm their skin a loy, they buy them because they are cheap when compared to the organic colors. Some anti social element drrink and drive and indulge in rash driving and eve teasing. These incidents dampen the spirit of Holi, and that’s why, people need to be aware of such mishappening and advise the male members of their families to behave responsibly as no festival is an excuse to harass any one especially on a festival, which symbolises love, brotherhood and righteousness.