Overview:
The Holi festival, celebrated in Cincinnati, is a significant Hindu event honoring love, spring, and the triumph of good over evil. Learn about its origins and colorful celebrations in India and around the world.
Contributed
Holi (Hindi pronunciation: [‘hoหli:]) is a popular and significant Hindu festival celebrated as the Festival of Colors, Love, and Spring. It celebrates the eternal and divine love of the deities Radha and Krishna, according to Wikipedia. Additionally, the day signifies the triumph of good over evil,as it commemorates the victory of Vishnu as Narasimha over Hiranyakashipu.ย
Holi originated and is predominantly celebrated in the Indian subcontinent, but has also spread to other regions of Asia and parts of the Western world through the Indian diaspora.
Holi also celebrates the arrival of Spring in India, the end of winter, and the blossoming of love. It is also an invocation for a good spring harvest season. It lasts for a night and a day, starting on the evening of the Purnima (full moon day) falling on the Hindu calendar month of Phalguna, which falls around the middle of March in the Gregorian calendar.
The Wikipedia source states that Holi is a sacred ancient tradition of Hindus, a holiday in many states of India and Nepal with regional holidays in other countries. It is a cultural celebration that gives Hindus and non-Hindus alike an opportunity to have fun banter with other people by throwing colored water anowder at each other. It is also observed broadly on the Indian subcontinent.ย
The festival has many purposes; most prominently, it celebrates the beginning of spring. In 17th century literature, it was identified as a festival that celebrated agriculture, commemorated good spring harvests, and the fertile land. Hindus believe it is a time to enjoying spring’s abundant colors and saying farewell to winter. To many Hindus, Holi festivities mark an occasion to reset and renew ruptured relationships, end conflicts, and rid themselves of accumulated emotional impurities from the past.
It also has a religious purpose, symbolically signified by the legend of Holika. The night before Holi, bonfires are lit in a ceremony known as Holika Dahan (burning of Holika) or Little Holi. People gather near fires, sing and dance. The next day, Holi, also known as Dhuli in Sanskrit, or Dhulheti, Dhulandi or Dhulendi, is celebrated.ย ย
In Northern parts of India, children and youth spray colored powder solutions (gulal) at each other, laugh and celebrate, while adults smear dry colored powder (abir) on each other’s faces. Visitors to homes are first teased with colors, then served with Holi delicacies (such as gujia, shakkarpaare, matri, and dahi-bada), desserts and drinks. After playing with colors, and cleaning up, people bathe, put on clean clothes, and visit friends and family.
