soz (soz) wrote, @ 2003-03-17 20:00:00

Current mood:	ecstatic
Current music:	Tere Ishq Ne-Supari

Holi (The Indian Context)


Holi :
It is called 'The Festival of Color'. Smearing colors, throwing water balloons, dry colors, and washable dyes on friends and dear ones is the basic idea of Holi. Holi is an exuberant show of goodwill and cheer. The riot of colors follows revelry of color play - quite unmatched - and takes place amidst the sprinkling or the shower of colored powder.

The Bon Fire :
Holi - from its mythological past to its present starts the night before, with a bonfire lit from the dried leaves and branches left through the winter. It also signifies on onset of spring. Metaphorically though, the fire is meant to signify the destruction of evil - the burning of the 'Holika' - a mythological character. Holika who believed herself to be immune to death by fire. And yet when she questions her nephew Prahlad's devotion to the ultimate of Gods, Vishnu and threatens to walk through fire with the intention to destroy the prince, the fire herself consumes her whereas the prince comes out unscathed. This is the Holika that is burnt the night before Holi as the triumph of the good over evil. The heat from the fire is also a reminder that winter is behind and that the hot summer days are ahead.
Lord Krishna's mythological presence in Holi is undisputed. It is said that the festival is also a celebration of the death of 'Pootna' - the demon who nearly killed Lord Krishna. The effigy of Pootna burnt the night before, therefore, ends up signifying death itself just as Pootna typifies winter and darkness.
.
The following morning begins with worshipping Krishna by lovingly smearing his idol with 'gulal' - the colors used to play Holi. This is a festival that is as much a gateway to celebrate the arrival of spring as much as it is a way to celebrate the season of love. Krishna is the ultimate lover with his 'gopikas', (the beautiful womenfolk) that Krishna forever seems to be chasing. And yet this icon of love spends most of his time seeking out his only lover Radha. So Krishna's love is the epitome of the freshness of youth amidst all its playfulness. Without Krishna and his lover Radha there can be no Holi.

Clebration And Revelry
Holi takes on different images and flavors across the India. While the bonfire is burnt everywhere, Lord Krishna and Radha are courted mostly in Eastern India and along the eastern coast of Southern India.
In Punjab, people hold wrestling tournaments. While at the other end of the spectrum of activity, virgins from Gujarat create images of their Goddess 'Gauri' out of the ashes left by the bonfire of the night before. Conceivably, not the last variation of Holi is played along India's eastern state of Orissa. Here married women carefully sweep away the ashes of the bonfire, to mark the spot with drawings made out of a paste of powdered sundried rice and water.
Then there is the 'Ride of the King' that is celebrated in the Western state of Gujarat, in Central India and in the tribal forests of Eastern India.
This ritual is where the King (an imaginary one) is paraded through the village and lampooned, a way of pressure-release by the King's subjects (again imaginary).

In the North Western state of Rajasthan, Holi is an occasion for tournaments wherein horsemen pelt each other with pellets filled with color.
Along the coastline of Maharashtra, men and women folk get together in a special dance. People; make sounds through their mouths by the striking of their mouths with the back of their hands.

Well there are many other ways in which holi is celebrated but the above are some of the main types.....but in all Holi signifies the feeling of Happiness,of Oneness,of Brotherhood,of Love,and of Devotion.......so in the end i would like to wish u all a very happy holi...and do hope that this day brings the happiness and joy of the whole world in ur lives......Holi Hai!!!
Pulkit

	yippee 2003-03-17 13:05 (link)
	la! la! la! .....erp!...sorry! i was singing...i have nothing to comment....bye. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	soz 2003-03-17 13:12 (link)
	Ab kya kahoon chal jaane de...jara hawa aane de..19th ko tere ko gila karna hi hai..phir khoob gane gana.....:) (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	khushee 2003-03-17 18:29 (link)
	That was an interesting post. I never knew much about Holi :o) Happy Holi :o) (Reply to this) (Thread)

	soz 2003-03-18 02:14 (link)
	Well u have a nice mysterious default pic...and im really happy that u read this article abt holi..actually i posted esp.for U,Ferz,and Mayuri..just give u people a glimpse of Holi......C ya Pulkit (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Holi hai..... psychic_fantasy 2003-03-18 02:21 (link)
	Maine apne puuri body main kaadua tael laga rakhaa hai....tumhara koi rang mujhe nahin chadhega......aur yee loo prich prich prich prichak.....tumhare upar maine gun waali pichkari se rang daal diyya.....hah hah haaa.. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	Re: Holi hai..... soz 2003-03-18 02:25 (link)
	abe saale main...ab tere ko nahin chodoonga..........mera matlab hai chotoonga.....yeh le mera brahmastra.....rang wala gubara.....Phaaachaak...woh mara ..kyon kaisi rahi..Holi Hai!!!......heehaaahaha.... (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Re: Holi hai..... psychic_fantasy 2003-03-18 02:29 (link)
	Puri furti ke saath jhuk ke maine tumhara gubbaara avoid kiyaa....au phir utni hi furti se uth ke ek baar phir prich prich prich.....tumhare muh pe gun waali 10 rs ki pichkai se rang daal diya....ha ha ha (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	ferzana 2003-03-18 06:05 (link)
	I was reading up on the meaning of Holi last night. I never knew the reasons how it came abt. It was quite interesting. Happy Holi to u, Have a fantastic day. Take care. (Reply to this) (Thread)

soz 2003-03-18 10:49 (link)

Im really happy that u took pains to read a little lengthy but still interseting essay abt Holi..actually i posted it esp..for U ,Mayuri and Khushee..as i think u people have never seen and enjoyed the fervor and enthu with which it is celebrated here in India......so u enjoy..ur hols while i play holi tomorrow..as it is being celebrated a day late from north in south...C ya Pulkit (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Re: ferzana 2003-03-18 10:50 (link)
	Oh ok!!! I thought it wascelebrated all over India on the same day. Thanks. Take care. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	soz 2003-03-18 11:35 (link)
	Mostly it is...but i don't know this time there being some problem with the moon calendar or what ??..it was celebrated in the north on 18th and in the southern part it is being celebrated on 19th...it doesn't matter to me..i just need a day off to play....that im geting tomorrow....C ya and take care Pulkit (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)