Every year, Hindu’s from all round the world celebrate Holi. This is an annual event which has traditions many of which involve wearing brightly coloured clothes and throwing coloured dye in the air. This means that everyone and everywhere in the surrounding area will become brightly coloured and be able to be incorporated in the celebration.
The festivities will be taking place on Friday March 18th all over the world so people will be able to see their families and take part in any cultural or religious activities which may be on offer.
Holi its self is a Hindu festival which has been celebrated since ancient times. It is mainly a way to welcome Spring but is also seen as a way that people can make a fresh start or begin a new phase in their lives. This can be a way of people leaving all the troubles they have in their lives in the past and finding new, more inventive ways to deal with such issues. This will mean that they will be able to progress further in their lives as they will have found ways to overcome many of the problems that they will have been facing.
Hindu’s all over the world have many different beliefs during Holi. This helps influence the many different activities and events which can take place during the festival. One of these includes that God will turn a blind eye and people will be able to have a little more freedom during the festival. This is one of the very rare times that Hindu’s can allow themselves to let loose and enjoy many of the things that they may be restricting themselves. They open up to each other and enjoy everyone’s company. They may even throw dance parties and throw all their other cultural norms and activities to one side.
A bonfire will also be symbolically lit to burn away all bad spirits and influences and enable a colourful and vibrant new future. People who attend the festivities are required to throw coloured dye which covers all the surrounding area and any people who may be near by. This activity is rich in symbolism and has multiple levels of meaning which people can interpret in the way that they choose. It can mean a vibrant new life or even represent sin in away.
For some people washing off the dye at the end of the festival can symbolise a commitment to live well and ensure that you experience all the best that life has to offer. It is also a way that someone can cleanse themselves of evils and demons. This helps to reinforce the notion that the festival is about making a fresh start and finding a better way to adapt and live your life.
Although Holi is mainly celebrated by Hindu’s from all over the world, the festival is inclusive which means people are free to join in the festivities even if they are of a different religion or have differing beliefs to those of the majority of the people who are celebrating. This helps to ensure that no one is isolated from the rest of society and will be able to continue with group activities. The festivities its self will have to be a bit more muted due to any risk because of Covid 19 but festivities should still be able to go ahead. It is a celebration that happens all over the world. It brings people together and invites them to throw away their inhibitions, feeling united in one big colourful group.
It’s said that the Holi Festival was originally a ceremony for married women to spread prosperity and goodwill on their new family. Since then, the festival has evolved to encompass much more. Now, one of the main focuses of the Holi Festival is a celebration of the victory of good over evil.
Good overcoming evil in Hinduism is rooted in the story of Hiranyakashipu. He was an ancient king who claimed to be immortal and demanded to be worshipped as a god. His son Prahlad was deeply devoted to worshipping the Hindu deity Vishnu, and Hiranyakashipu was angry that his son worshipped this god over him. According to the story, the Lord Vishnu appeared as half-lion and half-man, and killed Hiranyakashipu. In that way, good conquered evil.
Another story tied to the Holi Festival is that of Radha and Krishna. As the eighth incarnation of the Hindu god Vishna, Krishna is seen by many as the supreme god. Krishna is said to have blue skin because as legend has it, he drank poisonous milk from a demon when he was a baby. Krishna fell in love with the goddess Radha, but feared she would not love him because of his blue skin – but Radha allowed Krishna to dye her skin with colour, making them a true couple. On Holi, Festival participants apply colour to each other’s skin in honour of Krishna and Radha.
