Hi everybody. Today I will be talking about Holi… one of my unforgettable festivals as I did a skit about it when I was in first grade. But I am not going to talk about that, instead I will be talking about why we celebrate Holi.
Well, as most of us know that Hiranyakashipu tried to kill Prahalad in many ways. In one occasion he realizes that destroying Prahalad by fire would be the ideal way. So Hiranyakashipu asks his own sister Holika (who was blessed with a shawl that could protect her from fire) to trick Prahalad to sit on her lap. When Hiranyakashipu sets fire to them, Holika – the good-natured aunt is supposed to have covered Prahalad with the shawl and give her own life. Well, her last wish was that her sacrifice shall be celebrated.
There is another reason for the festival of Holi which is celebrated when winter ends and spring starts. Spring is the season, when the colorful flowers blossom and nature is quite colorful. The celebration of Holi with color water is also supposed to be a representation of the colors around us. If I would have a chance, I would put all the colours of all different types of flowers on me. My grandmother says that since the winter has ended and the climate is slowly getting warmer, playing with room temperature water makes our brain tell the body that it would be OK to begin bathing with room temperature water.
Well, this year because of the pandemic and because we are yet to get vaccinated, I understand that there would be plenty of restrictions or even a ban on street-side Holi celebrations. So stay safe.
PS: the photo is an ancient sculpture depicting Prahlada in flames at the Channakeshava Temple, Somnathpur near Mysuru.