Holi
The festival of
Holi symbolizes the victory of good over evil. It also marks
the advent of spring and people celebrate it joyously with a
splash of color. It is the most boisterous of all Hindu
festivals, observed all over India, especially the North. It
heralds the end of winter and the beginning of spring. The
night before the full moon, crowds of people gather together
and light huge bonfires to burn the residual dried leaves and
twigs of the winter. People throw colored water with pichkaari
(a traditional device to spray coloured water), gubbare
(balloons filled with coloured water) and gulal (colour
powder) at each other and make merry. Singing and dancing add
to the gaiety of the occasion. In the northern, western and
eastern regions, Holi celebrates the joyful Raasleela (dance)
of Lord Krishna and the Gopis. Holi, also known as phag, is a
joyous celebration of the rejuvenation of nature and renewed
hope of happiness and peaceful coexistence. Especially famous
is the lathmaar Holi of Barsana and Nandgaon. In Anandpur
Sahib in Punjab, Sikhs celebrate a special festival called
Hola Mohalla on the day after Holi. It marks a display of
ancient martial arts and mock battles. Holi is also an
occasion for the celebration of the burning of Lord Kama, the
Hindu equivalent of Cupid, with the fire that emanated from
Lord Shiva's third eye and also symbolizes the burning of
demoness Holika. Till date people burn effigies of Holika.
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