Holi celebration or Rang Panchami is one of the well known as well as oldest Hindu festivals which is celebrated with much splendor as well as joviality. Its reference can be set up even in the statues on walls of an old temples as well as ancient spiritual scriptures. The paintings as well as the sculptures on these walls illustrate couples sitting on swings as well as their compadres spraying colors on them as well as playing music. No matter what, Holi has always been regarding colors as well as mythology. There are a lot of legends associated with Holi that before Holi 2016 some of them should be read and remembered so that we can pass along this rich history of Indian civilization to the coming generations. The meaning of Holi should not just be regarding colors as well as bhangs along with delicacies but also about the reason why we celebrate it and where and how it all originated. A number of the stories linked with Holi festival are given in the resulting paragraphs.
The Legends as well as History of Holi
The relation of Holi and Radha – Krishna
Lord Krishna, an avatar of Lord Vishnu was dark in complexion whereas His spiritual lover Radha was fair. While they were young Radha would tease Krishna regarding this and Krishna criticized about this to His mother Yashodha. He supposed that this was the unfairness of nature. So Yashoda suggested Krishna to cover the face of Radha with a dark dye and alter her complexion to any color He desired. Krishna being naughty instantly embarked on this mission as well as applied color on the face of Radha along with other Gopis. Antique paintings as well as murals depict this playful act of Krishna. This frolicsome act of applying color and throwing water with water jets known as pichkaris soon became trendy and evolved in to the conventional Holi. On the day of Holi people can be observed carrying the images of Krishna as well as Radha to memorialize the origin of Holi. The Holi celebration in Mathura, the birth place of Krishna in U.P. has particular significance.
The myth of Dhundhi
There once was an ogress Dhundhi who frightened the children in the kingdom of Prithu. She was blessed with a lot of boons but had a curse on her placed by Lord Shiva which made her susceptible to the pranks, abuses as well as shouts of children. On the day of Holi the children combined as well as chased away Dhundhi by playing pranks on her, abusing as well as shouting at her. It is assumed that because of these young boys are permitted to swear on Holi and no one takes offense.
The well-known story of Holika along with Prahlad
Once there was a demon-king Hiranyakashipu who was the leader of the kingdom of Earth as well as ordered his citizen to love him instead of the Gods. Though his son Prahlad was a passionate devotee of Lord Vishnu refused to compel his father’s whims. To set an instance, Hiranyakashipu tried to kill his son a lot of times but each time Lord Vishnu sheltered him. He then approached one of his sisters, Holika who had the benefit to be uninjured by fire. He ordered her to sit in a pyre along with Prahlad and destroy him. But Vishnu yet once more protected Prahlad and Holika perished in the fire. Holika Dahan rejoices this aspect of Holi. On the night prior to Holi, people light the bonfires to rejoice the conquest of fine over wickedness.
The saga of the Kamadeva
The death of Sati, Lord Shiva’s companion hurt Him so much that He went into profound meditation as well as he forgot His responsibilities to the world which resulted in a lot of complications. The Gods decided to entice Shiva out of His trance with the assistance of Kamadeva, the God of love with desire, and Goddess Parvathi who wished to get married Shiva. Kamadeva shot His love arrow at Shiva. But Shiva had mastered all the worldly temptations as well as got furious at Kamadeva. He opened His third eye as well as reduced Kamadeva to ashes. He later granted Kamadeva immortality. This happened on the day of Holi and also devotees worship Kamadeva for His surrender.
