Holi in India transcends the barriers of caste, creed, and communities to paint a vibrant and vivid mass of colorful faces. Faces enraptured in bliss and showing the face of India. And you accept them, for they are playing Holi, as you are.
Holi, the color festival of India is steeped in tradition and myths abound concerning its origin. It has the roots of its name in the bonfire festival that commemorates the burning of the demon Holika, the sister of demon King Hiranyakasipu. To, this day the burning of bonfires before the day of Holi, commemorates the victory of good over evil, the burning of Holika and the saving of Prahlad.
However, Holi as a color festival came into existence in later Vaishnavite tradition with the depiction of Lord Krishna, the last Avatar of Vishnu playing with the women of Vrindavan and his lover Radha by sprinkling colors and colored water on each other with spray tubes or pichkaris. This particular festival, the color festival, is actually called Raslila, and enacted in all vaishnavite temples and communities across the country. Traditionally, in India, Holika Dahan, the burning of bonfires and Raslila came to be combined in the festival of colors, Holi.
I love Holi, simply for the fun thats associated with it. Colors, sweetmeats, revelry, friends, fun everything is part of it. It is so much pleasure to smear your loved ones, friends with colors and then dodge your ownself from others. Its fun to chase and even more fun being chased.
Today, more than the victory of good over evil, Holi embodies the spirit of love and revelry started by Lord Krishna while playing with his lover Radha and other Gopinis or women of Vrindavan. With time, Holi in India has come to symbolize communal harmony and love and loss of one's social identity for a brief time in a rain of colors. On the day of Holi, people exchange gifts and sweetmeat and anoint each other with color to celebrate the joy of life. Holi brings out the spirit of India in a fashion that no other festival can, for Holi has no barriers.
