Purnia (Bihar): While Holi is celebrated with a myriad of colours across the country, the hills of Sikligarh Dharhara, located at a distance of 40 kilometers from the Banmankhi subdivision in Purnia district, becomes a bit monochrome during the celebrations.
Locals use ash for their celebrations which is linked to the history of the festival of colours.
Demon king Hiranyakashyap, the then ruler of the region, wanted everyone to worship him but his own son Prahlad became a devotee of Lord Vishnu.
Disappointed with his son, Hiranyakashyap ordered his sister Holika, who had a gift to escape fires without being hurt, to immolate his son into one.
However, Holika was not aware that her gift only worked when she passed through fire alone as a result of which, she was burnt down to ashes.
Prahlad, however, was saved by Lord Narsingh (Lord Vishnu's fourth incarnation).
It was these ashes which, the people in the village played Holi with , thus marking the victory of good over evil.
The Narsinghdwar temple here, stands witness to this divine history of Holi. Also, this temple is said to be the gateway to Prahlad Nagar, the main spot of all these historical developments.
Another centre of amazement in Dharhara is the pillar which Lord Narsingh came out of. This pillar, popularly known as the Manikya Stambh has been a subject to vandalisation several times during the Mughal rule in India.
Though the pillar was slightly bent during that time, but all efforts to vandalise it were in vein.
The Manikya Stambh that was once spread spread across 400 acres has now been reduced to one-fourth of the original area. It is one of those parts of the history, besides a large vessel and an old well, that still remains intact.
Holi is the festival that explains the sense of unity in the most ideal way. Celebrated with great fervor in Northern India, this day marks the time when all boundaries of differences disappear below blankets of color.
Read:| Bihar's Holi Pokhar: A glimpse of legendary Vrindavan Holi celebrations
