Holi is Here, Are You Ready?

By Rohit T.
     Do you celebrate a holiday in which people throw colors on each other to celebrate the festival of colors as well as the arrival of spring? Well, in India this is what happens on the special holiday Holi, or the festival of colors and the arrival of spring. “Holi is a special time of year to remember those who are close to our hearts with splashing colors,” said Swami Tejomayananda. When colors are thrown on each other in Holi, the colors do not come off for many days and even weeks. Though, the people of India and all around the world do not regret it.        
     Holi, also known as the festival of colors, is a popular Hindu spring festival observed in many countries. The festival is celebrated on the day after the full moon in late February or in early March. The heart of the festival occurs when the night of the full moon hits. Then everyone starts to throw colored powder and colored water- gulal- on each other. In the 16 days of Holi there are many more rituals, or ceremonies, observed. Many people make a Holi bonfire called a Holika Dahan. The Holika Dahan is a fire that is in many places, not only the southern parts of India. In Punjab, a northern part of India, Sikhs celebrate Holi by having fights with swords and with armor. The people of Punjab serve langar, (food) to all the people that attend the gurdwara (temple) and they serve it with pride. This is just one ritual of one country in India. There are so many more.
    The story behind Holi is pretty long; it might even be longer then the story of Passover. Hiranyakashipu (the king of demons) had been granted one wish which made it almost impossible for him to be killed. The king of demons thought that he was the most powerful person and the best. He demanded that people stop worshipping gods and start praying to him. There was one problem, though, his son Prahlad. Hiranyakashipu tried to kill his son but because his son was devout to Lord Vishnu, he was protected. However, being an obedient son, Prahlad did whatever his father told him to do. His father thought he would out trick his son and made him go into a fire with his aunt Holika. The holiday name, Holi, comes from Holika’s being burned to death. In the end Hiranyakashipu was destroyed by Lord Vishnu.
    Now that you know about Holi you might want to get in on it next year. You just missed it this year. The main day was February 28^th. But it comes around every year.