THE COLOURS OF HOLI



Steeped in mythology, the Indian festival of colours, fondly known as "HOLI", consists of two events - "Holika Dahan" in the evening, followed by "Dhulivandan", the colour splashing revelry the next morning. Holi and Dhulivandan are often used synonymously...

Holika Dahan is a ritual marking the victory of good over evil. Holika, the demonic sister of the demon king Hiranyakashipu being reduced to ashes represents the destruction of ego, negativity, anger, greed, jealousy and ignorance, with Divine Grace thus keeping Prahlad - the demon king's pious and righteous son - out of harm's way. Underlining that true power lies in the purity of thoughts, faith and surrender, not in arrogance, dominance or coercion...

A symbol of transformation, fire is an analogy too for releasing negativities, doing away with the old and heralding the new. Akin to gold purification in fire, it is an invocation to mentally burn past grudges, fears and attachments to lighten minds and allow Divine wisdom to lead the paths...

The fervour, continued as Dhulivandan the following morning, is marked by the vibrant play of coloured powders mainly red, yellow and green, denoting fertility, prosperity and rejuvenation respectively. Earlier on derived from dried herbs and flowers, synthetic powders have flooded the market these days...

The revelry ends with traditional sweets and savouries and a refreshing drink with spices and a tinge of cannabis extract called "Thandai", after which there's an almost deafening silence till well past dusk...

Marking the arrival of spring, the triumph of good over evil and the joy of togetherness, Holi imparts the lessons of love, harmony, forgiveness, reconciliation and goodwill, all of which could help us paint the world with shades of peaceful coexistence in all senses of the terms...

🙏🙏





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