The festival of colours, Holi is of universal appeal and is observed on the first day of Chaitra (March-April), Holika-dahan preceding on the previous full moon night.
People invariably take some intoxicants on this occasion and indulge in revelry, sometimes degenerating to extreme limits. However, with the spread of education, excesses have been moderated.
Formerly people threw mud and dust on one another in the forenoon of the festival day and fast colours of different kinds were also sprinkled on passersby indiscriminately two to three days from before, but now such activities are largely on decline and people generally indulge in it within their close circles.
In the evening people visit their friends and relations to develop fraternity. In countryside and semi-urban areas people sing hori and chaiti in vigorous tunes accompanied with jhal and dumph. In some places Braj-ki-hori in soft strains in accompaniment with dholak and manjira (musical instruments) is also sung. Sometimes jogira (comic opera) is also heard. This festival coincides with Vasantotsava with mango flowers in full bloom and air surcharged with their fragrance .
According to the story of Bhagavat Puran there was a struggle between vice and virtue in the persons of the demon king, Hiranyakashyapu and his virtuous son, Prahlad.
Prahlad had to suffer many trials for his faith in God. At last the demon king ordered Prahlad to sit in the lap of Holika, who was fire-proof by a boon granted to her by Brahma, while a devastating fire was burning. The devastating fire, the story mentions, did not burn Prahlad but destroyed Holika.
This event is taken to vindicate the victory of the good over the forces of the evil, allegorically celebrated now by a bon-fire (Holika-dahan). On the next day the colour festival is observed and people make merry by sprinkling coloured water in day time, and in the evening smearing Abir and Gulal on one another.
People invariably take some intoxicants on this occasion and indulge in revelry, sometimes degenerating to extreme limits. However, with the spread of education, excesses have been moderated.
Formerly people threw mud and dust on one another in the forenoon of the festival day and fast colours of different kinds were also sprinkled on passersby indiscriminately two to three days from before, but now such activities are largely on decline and people generally indulge in it within their close circles.
In the evening people visit their friends and relations to develop fraternity. In countryside and semi-urban areas people sing hori and chaiti in vigorous tunes accompanied with jhal and dumph. In some places Braj-ki-hori in soft strains in accompaniment with dholak and manjira (musical instruments) is also sung. Sometimes jogira (comic opera) is also heard. This festival coincides with Vasantotsava with mango flowers in full bloom and air surcharged with their fragrance .
According to the story of Bhagavat Puran there was a struggle between vice and virtue in the persons of the demon king, Hiranyakashyapu and his virtuous son, Prahlad.
Prahlad had to suffer many trials for his faith in God. At last the demon king ordered Prahlad to sit in the lap of Holika, who was fire-proof by a boon granted to her by Brahma, while a devastating fire was burning. The devastating fire, the story mentions, did not burn Prahlad but destroyed Holika.
This event is taken to vindicate the victory of the good over the forces of the evil, allegorically celebrated now by a bon-fire (Holika-dahan). On the next day the colour festival is observed and people make merry by sprinkling coloured water in day time, and in the evening smearing Abir and Gulal on one another.
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