The Real Story behind Holi (the Festival of Color)

There are several stories rather legends on how the festivity of colors started. Most people around the world, as well as the residents of India, consider that the festival of Holi started after lord Vishnu killed Hiranyakashipu and saved Prahlada and that it is observed to celebrate the victory of the divine over the evil.

Brajabashi Observes the Holi with Lord Krishna

But there is another story which is more prominent and rooted in the Vedic culture.

The festival of Holi is celebrated on the full-moon day of the ‘Falgun’ month. ‘Falgun’ is the eleventh month of Indian calendar and the first month of the spring. In the Vedic period, it was considered that a year starts with the spring as it is the time of reincarnation. New leaves appear in the branches of the trees, lots of flowers blossom in the Kunjas (Garden) and there is life in everywhere. And, the very day was exulted as the new year. They believed that we should burn the old material into ashes on the last day of a year and move forward in the new year (actually, Yajnas were performed on the last day of the year before the full moon and the ashes were considered to be holy). It was further contemplated that we should make up with friends and relatives who went distant in the past year. And to do that the ashes of the last day were used along with flower petals to spread on each other. As time passed Gulal were created from the flower petals to make things more interesting.

The festival of Holi is being followed by the people of India for centuries. The legend changed from time to time but the spirit remained intact. In the present day, we have succeeded to cast the message of love and bonding throughout the world. Visitors from around the world gather in cities like Brindavan, Mathura, Varanasi etc and enjoy Holi with us. Also, there are NRI colonies in other countries where Holi is caroused with a blast.

Holi is the day of restoration. It is the day which breaks unwanted barriers between human beings. That is why R. Tagore invited the people with these words, “Fill me with your colors before you leave. The colors should touch my soul, reflect into all of my works, lit my evening prayer and fill my solitude of awaken nights.”

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