Holi: A Celebration of Life!

Holi, known as the “festival of colours” or is celebrated on a full moon day at the approach of the spring equinox, heralding the end of winter and the onset of spring. The celebrations are spread out over two days (previously five). People crowd the streets, and splash water and brilliantly coloured dyes on each other, amidst loud music and drums. It’s hard to avoid the fun and vibrance — every nook and corner presents a typically colourful sight!

Harmony

Holi helps bridge social gaps and brings people together: employees and employers, men and women, rich and poor, young and old. The festival is associated with a loosening of social restrictions of caste, sex, status and age, an adopting kindness. For many, it is the time to rid oneself of past errors, end conflicts, forget and forgive, repair broken relationships, play and laugh together, make new friends. People bury their hatchets with a warm embrace and throw their worries to the wind. The festival breathes an atmosphere of social merriment.

Significance of Holi

The word Holi originates from ‘Hola’ meaning a thanksgiving to the Gods, for a good harvest. For some, it is the festival of springtime, the welcoming of warm weather and bidding farewell to the cold winter. It is also a celebration of love, the return of fertility and virility. Holi has different mythological connotations in different parts of India; its meanings are numerous.

a. Truth

Essentially though, the festival symbolises the triumph of good over evil and conquest of sensual values by spiritual values. Celebration of various legends associated with Holi reassure the people of the power of the truth. They ultimately encourage people to follow a good conduct and believe in the virtue of being truthful. This is extremely important in modern day society when often people resort to unethical practices for petty gains, exploiting those who are honest.

b. Integrity

Holi is also a celebration of the conquest over base instincts of man.

Lord Krishna addresses Arjuna in the Bhagvad Gita, “While contemplating material and sensual objects, persons become attached to them. Such attachment develops lust which generates anger, leading to delusion and mental bewilderment. When the mind is bewildered, intelligence and discretion is lost, leading to the downfall of a person.”

In some parts of India, a story is told on Holi of Kamadeva (God of Love; Cupid), whom Lord Shiva burned to ashes when he tried to seduce Him out of His meditation. The message is: ‘celebrate love, but don’t get carried away’. Thus, Holi is a celebration of divinity and discipline over passion.

c. Colours

The colour, noise and entertainment that accompanies Holi celebrations brings a feeling of oneness and sense of brotherhood. No other festival captures spiritual and social harmony as well as Holi!

Significance of Colours:

• Orange: colour of social communication and optimism. It brings enthusiasm and creativity.
• Yellow: colour of the mind and the intellect. It radiates the essence of joy.
• Green: colour of balance and growth. It offers calm and harmony.
• Blue: colour of trust and peace.
• Pink: colour of unconditional love and nurturing.
• Magenta: colour of universal harmony and emotional balance. It is spiritual yet practical, encouraging common sense and a balanced outlook toward life.
• Brown: colour of security, protection and material wealth. It is the colour of Earth.

Playing with colours also helps promote good health. Western physicians and doctors believe that for a healthy body, colours too have an important place along with the other vital elements.

A lesson for life

The fire of purity and divinity which we light on Holi must burn continuously in our hearts throughout the year. We must have an ever-burning bonfire of impurity, so that we are continuously renewed, continuously purified and continuously rejuvenated.

(Originally composed on 13 March, 2017)