Subject: [world-vedic] Holi -- Rituals of the Festival Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2002 22:25:38 -0000 From: Religion Samachar Reply-To: vediculture@yahoogroups.com To: vediculture@yahoogroups.com Holi -- Rituals of the Festival The festival of Holi begins on Duwadashi - on the twelfth day of the waxing moon of the month of Phalgun. Three days before the full moon, Rang Pashi brings Holi into all households. Spirits run high as the preparations for the festivities begin, as a custom, mothers make new clothes for their married daughters. Coloured powder (Gulal) is bought and prepared, long syringes called `pichkaris` are made ready and water balloons are bought and filled. Preparations are made to cook the special food items exclusively meant for this festival. The families get together in the evenings when people visit each other to perform the formal sprinkling of colour. Three days before the full moon, `Rang Pashi` brings Holi into all households. To begin the celebrations, a `thali` or plate is arranged with coloured powders and coloured water is placed in a small brass container called a `lota`. The eldest male member of the family begins the festivities by sprinkling coloured water and powders on each member of the assembled family. It is then the turn of the younger ones to do the same. In this unique way, affection and blessings are shared by all in the family. The celebrations on this day end with the partaking of food specially cooked for this occasion - gujjia, papri and kanji ke vade. Sometimes, meat dish like kofta curry is also served. It is customary to serve drinks before the meal. The next day is known as `Puno`. On this day, Holika is burnt in keeping with the legend of Prahlad and his devotion to lord Vishnu. In the evening, huge bonfires are lit on street corners at the crossroads. Usually this is a community celebration and people gather near the fire to fill the air with folk strains and dances. Sheaves of green gram and wheat are roasted in the bonfire and eaten. The actual festival of Holi takes place the day after this. This day is called `Parva`. Children, friends and neighbours gather on the streets and a riot of colour takes over. Coloured powders called `abeer` or `gulal` are thrown into the air and smeared on faces and bodies. `Pichkaris` are filled with coloured water and this is spurted onto people. Water balloons are thrown at friends and neighbours in the spirit of fun. Sometimes, mud baths are prepared and people are `dunked` into this amidst much laughter and teasing. The visitors carry `abeer` or `gulal` to pay their respects to elders by sprinkling some on their feet. The younger crowd is drenched with buckets of coloured water and pummeled with water balloons. `Dholaks` or Indian drums are heard everywhere and the songs of Holi are carried by the voices of these merry-makers. There is no `puja` or worship associated with this festival of colours. Some `gulal` or `abeer` is smeared on the faces of the Gods, especially Radha and Krishna at the commencement of the festivities. From: Bhattathity M P Mailing-List: list vediculture@yahoogroups.com Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2003 05:59:10 +0530 Subject: [world-vedic] Holi kee shubh kaamnaaye ho! Holi on 19th March 2003 One of most celebrated colourful festival Holi is a time when we will embrace each other as a mark of love and paint each other with bright colors.It marks the triumph of a young boy who is believed to be the incarnation of God on Earth, over the evil king who tries to destroy him.The colors signify joy and happiness but of more importance is the fact that this festival succeeds in breaking down those intangible barriers that separate people. People from all walks of life irrespective of their cast, creed or religion are encouraged to participate in the festivities. This is one of the few times when India, a country of so many diverse religions and cultures, celebrates in union. The symbolism here is that 'good shall always prevail over evil.' . Apart from the various amusements, they create faith in God when properly observed. Hindu festivals always have a spiritual significance. They wean the man away from sensual pleasures and take him gradually to the spiritual path and divine communion. People perform 'havan' and offer the new grains that are harvested to the gods before using them. There should be worship of God, religious gatherings and Kirtan of the Lord's Names on such occasions, not mere pumping of coloured water and lighting bonfires. These functions art to be considered sacred and spent in devotional prayers, visiting holy palace bathing in sacred waters, 'Satsang' with great evolved souls, doing charity to the poor, etc. Then only can Holi be said to have been properly celebrated. The devotees of the Lord remember & delightful pastimes of the Lord a such happy occasions. Being an agricultural country India's two big festivals are at harvest time when the barns and granaries of our farmers are full and they have reason to enjoy & fruits of their hard labour. The harvest season is a festive season all over the world. The religious element in the Holi festival is the worship of Krishna. In some places it is also called the Dol Yatra. The word 'dol' Literally means "a swing". An image of Krishna as a babe is Placed in a little swingcradle, and decorated with flowers and painted with coloured powders. The innocent frolics of little Krishna with the merry milkmaids ('Gopis') of Brindavan are commemorated. Religious people chant the name of Krishna and sing Holi-songs relating to the frolics of little Krishna with the Gopis. The social element in Holi is the uniting or "embracing" of the great and the small, of the rich and the poor, and also amongst the equals. The festival teaches us to "let the dead bury the dead". Forget the outgoing years ill-feeling and begin the New Year with love, sympathy, co-operation and equality with all. Try to feel this oneness a unity with the Self also. Holi also means "sacrifice". Burn all the impurities of the mind such as egoism vanity, lust, etc., through the fire of devotion and knowledge.. Ignite cosmic love, mercy, generosity, selflessness, truthfulness and purity through the fire of Yogic practice. This is the real spirit of Holi. Get up from the mire of stupidity and absurdity and dive deep into the ocean of divinity. The call of Holi is to keep always the blaze of God-love shining in your heart. Inner spiritual illumination is real Holi. The spring season is the manifestation of the Lord, according to the Bhagavad Gita. Holi is there said to be His heart. The story behind it is that when we rejoice in the victory of pure, divine Prahlaad over his sister Holika. The story - in a simple, condensed way - says that Prahlaad was a young, beautiful, pure, divine devotee of God. However, Prahlaad's father was a powerful king who believed that everyone should worship him. At Prahlaad's refusal to do so, due to his single-minded love of God, his father decided to have him killed. Prahlaad's aunt (his father's sister), Holika, had been given a special shawl as a boon from God (for various austerities she had performed). When she wore this shawl, she could not be burned by fire. So, Prahlaad's father and his sister devised a plan in which she would wear her shawl and hold Prahlaad tightly in her arms as they sat in fire. In this way, Prahlaad would be killed, but she would emerge unscathed. However, as divine plan works, a strong gust of wind came and blew the shawl off of her, as well as carried pure Prahlaad to safety. Holika was burned in the fire of her own evil. One of the great obstacles in life to our spiritual progress is the difference between what we do or say on the outside and how we really are on the inside. Holika had performed certain austerities by which she was entitled to this boon from God. On the outside, she was "pious." But, on the inside she was not pure. Prahlaad, on the other hand, was a simple, pure, loving devotee of God. This is what saved him. This inner purity and inner piety is what truly save us, what truly make our lives divine. So many of us go to temple, do the rituals, offer money to the priests, and chant a certain number of malas. Then, we go out and act in selfish, unpious, dishonest ways. These may not necessarily take the form of big transgressions. It may simply be the way we speak to our children, or to our loved ones. It may simply be the way we try to cheat those with whom we do business. It may be the way we sit and gossip about others. All the rituals and puja in the world cannot make up for a lack of piety, honesty and compassion. The goal of going to temple is not just to perform rituals; the goal is to become spiritual. God is happier with pure, innocent, devoted Prahlaad than with all the austerities and rituals performed by his father and aunt. Let us truly pray to God that on this day "I" may become holy. Let us pray that "I" may become pious, pure and devoted as Prahlad. In that way our lives and our hearts and our souls will be forever protected, forever sheltered at His holy feet. As we chant "Holi I, Holi I, Holi I...." let us also pray that our "eye" may become holy, that we may be granted the divine vision by which we behold Him in all whom we see. Let us pray that through our holy eye, we never are led toward anger, greed, lust or jealousy. LET THIS HOLI BE A TIME WHEN WE CHANGE NOT ONLY THE COLOR OF OUR FACES, BUT THE COLOR OF OUR HEARTS. LET US NOT ONLY "PLAY" HOLI, BUT LET US BECOME HOLY. LET THE ONLY COLOR THAT TRULY PENETRATES OUR BEINGS, BE THE COLOR OF GOD. FOR, ON THE MORNING AFTER HOLI THE OTHER COLORS WILL WASH AWAY. BUT WE MUST LET THE COLOR OF GOD BE INDELIBLE IN OUR EYES, IN OUR EARS AND IN OUR HEARTS. LET US PRAY FOR WORLD PEACE IN THIS OCCASION