The festival of color, joy, and happiness, Holi is celebrated in our country by people of all ages and classes with full enthusiasm. Bright colorful Gulal, water-filled Pichkari (water gun) and balloons, and a variety of delicacies add to the excitement of the festival. “Choti Holi” is celebrated a day prior to the actual “Rang Wali Holi”. While the day of Holi is filled with colors, a small prayer ceremony is organized on Choti Holi. There are different stories associated with both days, which explain the reason behind the way they are celebrated. Today, ETV Bharat Sukhibhava is going to share with its readers these stories and more about how this festival has a positive impact on our mental health as well as the environment.
Stories Associated With Holi
Holi festival is based on one of the famous legends of killing evil demoness Holika and another story is about Radha-Krishna. The story of Chhoti Holi is usually known by everyone. The story goes that Holika, aunt (bua) of Prahlad, stepped into the fire with little Prahlad, with a motive to kill him. Prahlad was a devotee of Lord Vishnu and Holika had a blessing that if she steps into fire wearing a specific ‘chunari’ that she had, the fire can do her no harm. On the day of Chhoti Holi, when Holika stepped into the fire wearing the same chunari, with Prahlad in her lap, by the grace of Lord Vishnu, the chunari fell on top of Prahlad and it saved his life, but Holika got burnt in the fire. Therefore, each year to mark the victory of good over evil, “Holika Dahan” ceremony is observed on the day of Choti Holi, where wood, dry grass, cow dung cakes, etc. are stacked in the form of bonfire and it is burnt after a puja or the rituals are performed.
The other story is related to Lord Krishna and his beloved Radha. Lord Krishna complained to mother Yashodha about Radha being fairer as compared to him, to which mother Yashoda suggested that Krishna should color Radha, in the color of his choice. The mischievous Krishna is said to have coloured his beloved in a hue of colors thereafter. A tradition that is thereby we have been following. Therefore, the day that follows Choti Holi is celebrated with colours or gulal and is called Holi. In India, cities around Mathura Vrindavan are known for the way they celebrate this very festival, with full enthusiasm.
Celebrating Holi Amidst The COVID-19 Pandemic
Once again, the cases of COVID-19 are on a surge in many states of India, which has lowered the enthusiasm in people to celebrate the colorful festival of Holi. Given that strict safety measures need to be followed to curb the spread of the virus, as far as possible, try to avoid playing Holi this year. However, even if you celebrate it, gather in very small groups and keep the following things in mind:
- Try to avoid hugging or shaking hands with people and throw gulal on each other from a distance, instead of standing close and applying it on their faces.
- Keep away from people who are ill or suffering from cold and cough.
- Try to keep your hands away from your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Try to keep washing your hands often.
Colors And Our Mind
Colors, as we all know, are vital for a healthy body. While immersed in the vibrant colors of Holi, our mind and body experience myriads of benefits. Bright colors like red tend to stimulate the heartbeat & breathing. Colors like Yellow and Blue do not just bring in a calming effect on our senses but also surround us with a sense of joy and happiness.
Advantages Of Holika Dahan
Holi, like many other festivals, falls on the cusp of winters and spring. This season also exposes us to a number of bacteria and pollution in the air around us. The mutation period of winter and spring induces the growth of bacteria in the atmosphere as well as in the body Hence, the burning of Holika, the day before Holi, where many people light a bonfire that symbolizes the burning of evil and it follows the tradition of walking around the fire deodorizing our environment and cleansing the body from the bacteria.
Natural And Organic Colours
Traditionally the Holi colors were made with naturally available ingredients like hibiscus flowers, henna leaves, kesar, sandalwood, etc. These natural colors are not just good for your skin, hair, and eyes but even cleanse and clear the dead skin. these ingredients are also used in Ayurveda for rejuvenating the body and giving it a healthy glow. All these naturally produced colors positively impact our body. The red color is energizing and stimulates heart functions and breathing. Yellow has a soothing effect on organs especially the intestines and blue has a calming and tranquilizing effect on our body and senses. Today, many artificially made colors and gulal are also available in the market, but one must not forget that these can be very harmful to the skin and cause irritation. Therefore, always choose naturally made organic colors or gulal only.
Cool Drinks And Other Delicacies
Renowned Holi drinks like Thandai and Kaanji act as great coolants and are an excellent source of antioxidants. Thandai, consists of a delicious milk flavor, has the goodness of almonds, watermelon seeds, fennel seeds, and rose petals. While Kanji, a traditional North Indian drink is fermented and packed with rich nutrients and fiber. Apart from this, a special sweet dish called “Gujiya” is also made, which consists of Mawa or reduced dry milk, along with dry fruits, grated coconut, and much more.
Therefore, Holi is not just a festival of colors but of health too. The festival of Holi also promotes good health in the southern regions of India. The morning after the burning of Holika, people put ash (Vibhuti) on their forehead. Along with that, they also mix Chandan (sandalwood paste) with the leaves and flowers from the Mango tree and consume it.
The ETV Bharat Sukhibhava team wishes its readers a very Happy and Safe Holi. We encourage you to stay home and follow all the preventive measures since the COVID-19 pandemic has not ended yet.
