Holi [is It Holy Or Unruly]

Holi [Is it holy or unruly]

There is a symbolic legend to explain why Holi is celebrated as a festival of triumph of good over evil in the honour of Hindu god Vishnu and his devotee Prahlada. Vishnu as Lord Narasimha placed Hiranya kashipu on his lap[neither land nor water nor air and eviscerated and killed King Hiranyakashipu, Holika, Hiranya kashipus sister tricked Prahalada to sit with her on a pyrer but the special cloak which made her immune to injury flew away from her and covered Prahalada.Holika perished and Prahalada came out unscathed.The Holika bonfire and Holi signifies the celebration of the symbolic victory of good over evil, of Prahlada over Hiranyakashipu, and of the fire that burned Holika.

In the Braj region of India, where the Hindu deity Krishna grew up, the festival is celebrated until Rang Panchmi in commemoration of the divine love of Radha for Krishna. The festivities officially usher in spring, with Holi celebrated as a festival of love. There is a symbolic myth behind commemorating Krishna as well. As a baby, Krishna developed his characteristic dark skin colour because the she-demon Putana poisoned him with her breast milk. In his youth, Krishna despaired whether the fair-skinned Radha would like him because of his dark skin colour. His mother, tired of his desperation, asks him to approach Radha and ask her to colour his face in any colour she wanted. This she did, and Radha and Krishna became a couple

The Holi festival has a cultural significance among various Hindu traditions of the Indian subcontinent. It is the festive day to end and rid oneself of past errors, to end conflicts by meeting others, a day to forget and forgive. People pay or forgive debts, as well as deal anew with those in their lives. Holi also marks the start of spring, for many the start of the new year, an occasion for people to enjoy the changing seasons and make new friends.Not surprisingly holi is celebrated among various religions and across the oceans.

The festival of Holi is celebrated with enthusiasm and fanfare, with a considerable dose of pomp and show along with social interactions. Like all of our festivals, there is a feeling of festivity; the sweet shops overflow with traditional sweets, doing brisk business, during the extended holidays, lasting for more than a week. With such a deep spiritual legacy, it is expected that the festival should be celebrated with a sense of reverence, decorum and mutual respect.

Unfortunately, Holi festivities, in some parts of India have been marred by serious law and order problems in recent years, which include murder, arson, communal and caste riots. The festival is celebrated for about a week in rural areas. The last few years have seen a marked decline in the display of mutual respect as is evident in the common malpractices. In Delhi it was widely reported two years back that girl students were forcibly accosted by unruly mobs and coloured with long lasting paint, they were inappropriately touched.Unruly elements move in trains, in groups, extracting contributions from ladies, senior citizens and playing obscene songs loudly to the discomfort of all passengers.This is not the way to celebrate holy to the utter discomfort of women.

Also in Hindi language, the word when split looks like HO — LI. Which means, “It has got over” or things of the past. Sometimes, we harbour bitter & negative experiences of the past in us, unnecessarily. This festival reminds us to not dwell in the negative experiences of the past. Rather have an attitude whatever has happened in the past has happened, now let me make my future better & bright. When this thinking comes in us, we inculcate positive feelings of hope, faith, love, forgiveness, tolerance. This in turn colours our face with positive feelings. Such colours remain with us for life time.Corono Virus will also bring about a restraint in the unholy revelries.[TOI,Brahmakumaris and internet]

 

You are right.The significance of many of our festivals is lost in the uncivilised revelry and women are the worst sufferers.I was nick named head master and army man as no one dared to take liberties with my family members.To forgive and forget animosities is one principle which is not known to many.
Regards. SLN