Holi The Festival Of Colors

The colorful festival of Holi is celebrated on Phalgun Purnima which comes in February end or early March.

During 2011 the festival Holi falls on 19th March. This is the perfect time for celebration when everybody has enough of chilly winter and looks forward for the warmth of Sun. The Spring season is thus welcomed by celebrating the festival of colors.
Holi festival has an ancient origin and celebrates the triumph of ‘good’ over ‘evil’. The colorful festival bridges the social gap and renew sweet relationships. On this day, people hug and wish each other ‘Happy Holi’

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The most celebrated Holi festival is in Vraj region, the places connected to Lord Krishna`s childhood pastimes of Mathura, Vrindavan, Nandgaon or Gokul. These places have become very famous for Holi celebration as this festival is celebrated here for sixteen days in commemoration of Lord Krishna`s love to Radha. Lord Krishna is believed to have popularize this festival by playing pranks on the Gopis.
The bonfire is lit on the full moon day of month Falgun as per Hindu calendar and the following day is celebrated as Dhuli or Dhuleti when people smear colors on each other and distribute sweets. Past differences or any enmity is forgotten to start new life of friendship and brotherhood.

The History and mythological story dates back to Garuda Puran which contain the divine tales of Lord Vishnu who is the Supreme Almighty, the creator, preserver and destroyer of the Universe.
According to Garuda Puran Lord Vishnu has taken 20 incarnations and the twenty first incarnation is Lord Buddha. His next incarnation will be in Kaliyug as Kalki to liberate the earth from the shackles of sinners.

In the fourteenth incarnation Lord Vishnu manifested himself as Narsinha (partly Human and partly Lion) to protect His devotee Prahlad.

The story says there was once a demon king by the name of Hiranyakashyap who had been granted the boon from Lord Brama which made it impossible for him to be killed by anybody. The boon was granted after long penance in which he demanded that he cannot be killed `during day or night, in sky or earth, neither by any human or animal, nor by any weapon of any kind. Consequently he won over the kingdom of earth and grew arrogant. He was so egoistic that he commanded everybody in his kingdom to worship only him. But to his great disappointment, his son, Prahlad became an ardent devotee of Lord Naarayana and refused to worship his father. Hiranyakashyap tried several ways to kill his son Prahlad but Lord Vishnu saved him every time. Finally, he asked his sister, Holika to enter a blazing fire with Prahlad in her lap. For, Hiranyakashyap knew that Holika had a boon, whereby, she could enter the fire unscathed. Treacherously, Holika coaxed young Prahlad to sit in her lap and she herself took her seat in a blazing fire. The legend has it that Holika had to pay the price of her sinister desire by her life. Holika was not aware that the boon worked only when she entered the fire alone. Prahlad, who kept chanting the name of Lord Narayana all this while, came out unharmed, as the lord blessed him for his extreme devotion.

Later Lord Vishnu came in the form of Narsinha (who is half‐man and half‐lion) and killed Hiranyakashipu at dusk (which was neither day nor night), on the steps of the porch of his house (which was neither inside the house nor outside) by restraining him on his lap (which is neither in the sky nor on the earth) and mauling him with his claws (which are neither astra nor shastra). Thus, Holi derives its name from Holika. And, is celebrated as a festival of victory of good over

Author Bio andit Ravindra Dave is a learned Hindu priest from India living in Atlanta GA since last seven years.
After getting his Bachelor degree in Science and Law back in 70s he worked with Government of India for 32 years in senior position.
In his childhood, besides other studies he had deep interest in Hindu religious rituals and so he studied Sanskrit language and all religious rites from his learned father and performed many religious ceremonies in India.
Besides through his deep knowledge of Hindu religion and tremendous command over English language, he published email newsletters/ articles on Hindu religion with a view to educate young generation about significance of various rituals and routines and why we follow them. His efforts to generate awareness about Hindu rituals have been lauded by many community leaders all over USA and very soon he became famous all over US and was invited to perform Hindu religious ceremonies all across US and even in Jamaica and Mexico.
He was also conferred the title of Doctor by Center of Astrological Society, Jamshedpur India in 1999 and was presented Gold Medal.