All you need to know about Holi:- 

Firstly, HAPPY HOLI!!!

Holi is an ancient Hindu festival, it is also known as 'Festival of Love' or 'Festival of Colour'. It signifies the triumph of Good over evil. Every year as Mahashivratri, Holi is also celebrated on different dates.

In 2021, it's on 28th March (Holika Dahan) and on 29th March (when people play with colors all over the country).

Holi is a very auspicious and special festival among the Hindus as it brings positivity, love, and happiness. This auspicious festival is also celebrated as a vote of thanks for a good harvest. 

Now the main question is why is it so an auspicious occasion among the Hindus? What is the back story? 

First let me give you some valuable information about Holi, 

Holi is celebrated on the full moon day in Phalgun. (Phalgun: it is a month in Hindu calendar featured as March- February) 

It represents the arrival of spring and victory of good and overcoming of evil by the truth, honesty, sincerity, and love. 

Now on to the question: Why is it celebrated? 

Like every other festival in India, Festival Holi also possesses various stories...

One of them is:- 

Holi is always celebrated on 2 different days if you have ever noticed... The first day we do Puja and the second day we play with colors, now why do we celebrate it like this? 

1st day, The story of Holika Dahan (28th March 2021):-

There was a very powerful but cruel king Hiranyakashipu,

(full info: Hiranyakashipu was an Asura and king of the daityas from the Puranic scriptures of Hinduism. translation of his name is "clothed in gold", and is depicting one who is fond of wealth. He went to the Himalayas and performed penance for many years. Lord Brahma was pleased by him and asked him for a boon, he asked that he could not be killed by human or animal, from inside or outside, by day or by night, and from no weapon.)  

He always wanted everyone in his Kingdom to worship him as a God, everyone did as he said because they were scared of him in the sense he would kill them. But his son, Prahlada was a devotee of Lord Vishnu and hence denied worshiping his father. He was very disappointed and angry by Prahlada's attitude of not worshipping him. King Hiranyakashipu had already tried to kill his son numerous times because of the reason that he doesn't worship him but he never succeed and failed his every attempt. 

King Hiranyakashipu had a demoness sister named Holika, she was as evil as the king was. Holika possessed a special power that she will not get affected by the fire. They came up with the idea that Holika will take Prahlada and sit in fire. But due to her evil and unforgiving intention the opposite happened, her power didn't come to escape and was ineffective this time and she was burnt to ashes. But on the other hand, Prahlada gained immunity and hence, he was saved from the fire and nothing happened to him. 

Angered by all his deeds, Lord Vishnu appeared as a half-man-half-lion (Narshimha) to kill Hiranyakashipu. He killed Hiranyakashipu on his lap at the threshold of his palace at dusk, because he cannot be killed inside or outside so threshold, he cannot be killed at night or day so at dusk and he cannot be killed by a human or Animal so, he appeared as a half-man-half human: Narshimha! 

Hence, it signifies that good will always overcome the bad and evil! 

2nd day, the story of Radha Krishna (29th March 2021):- 

In the region where the lord Krishna grew up -Braj (it is Uttar Pradesh) 

It is the devotional love of Lord Krishna and Radha. 

Lord Krishna had blue coloured skin because once a demon attempted to kill baby Krishna by giving him poisoned milk. Because of which Lord Krishna turned blue. But Lorr Krishna did not die and the demon was shriveled up into ashes.

When he becomes young or bigger he would often think and felt bad about darker skin than others he would be concerned about if Radha and other girls will like him as he was dark-skinned and she had fair skin and he was jealous, Lord Krishna's mother asked him to go and color Radha any color he wants to. So, when lord Krishna applied color to her face and made her one like himself.

He applied color on Radha and other gopis using water jets called pichkaris, it gained a lot of acceptance and popularity. So much that it evolved as a tradition and later, a festival. Lovers apply color on their beloved's faces and express their affection for each other.

(Extra: why do you say Radhakrishnan and not Krishnaradha?

- Lord Krishna gave Radha a boon according to which Radha's name will appear before Lord Krishna's name.) 

Lastly, how is Holi is celebrated? 

The most Indian state has their way of celebrating Holi. 

The celebration begins with a Holika bonfire on the night before Holi (Holika Dahan). People gather, sing, and dance around the bonfire and pray for the safety of their loved ones. The next day of Holi begins early in the morning, people play with colors, chase, and color each other with dry powder and colored water, with water guns and colored water-filled balloons for their water fight. This celebration is accompanied by songs and dance in a colorful and joyful atmosphere.

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                                         -जय श्री कृष्णा