One of the most anticipated festivals of India, Holi, is accompanied by amusement-filled traditions, lip-smacking ghujias and mathris, bhang and DJs along with a huge splash of colors. Well, that is what Holi stands for all the Indians. It is that colorful time of the year when a toast is raised for appreciating the country’s diversity.
Holi is celebrated by people coming from various castes, genders, creeds and ages. On this day, everyone comes together to enjoy the festival of fun and colours. Although people all over the country tend to celebrate the festival with a lot of pomp and show, there are few specific things that you must know about Holi.
The Reason Behind Celebrating Holi
The festival of Holi has an interesting story behind its existence. According to the Puranas, Hiranyakashyap who was a demonic king from the asura clan earned a particular boon of receiving five ‘magical powers’. The powers were – he would never be killed by an animal or human, neither at night nor day, neither by Shastra nor Astra, neither outdoors not indoors and neither in water, air nor on land. But his son named Prahlada, who was a devotee of Lord Vishu was totally against the hegemony.
Frustrated by the behavior of his son, Hiranyakashyap punished him which ultimately went in vain. Eventually, Prahlada was tricked by his aunt Holika in order to sit on the pyre along with her.
As soon as the fire roared, Prahlada managed to get encased in a cloak which became immune to the fire where Holika ended up burning into ashes. Thus, Holi is celebrated to mark the ultimate victory of the good over evil. Also, it tends to symbolize the end of the winter season and the beginning of spring.
The Time Of Celebrating Holi
The amazing festival of laugh, love and colors is celebrated in the month of March, on a day which is just after the onset of the full moon. Holi 2019 would be observed on 21 March but the main celebrations would start from March 20 evening along with the advent of Holika Dahan. In different areas like Odisha and West Bengal, the festival of Holi takes place at least a day before the actual date. In other places such as Vrindhavan and Mathura, Holi celebration commences one week beforehand.
Significant Places To Go During Holi
If you are looking forward to celebrating a rocking Holi then you might consider a few significant places for your Holi 2019. One of the most famous Holi traditions of beating the men with ‘Lathis’ along with the use of colours is carried out in Barsana, Uttar Pradesh. Although it is a bizarre concept, a lot of people visit the place out of curiosity.
Moreover, you can also opt for a trip to Vrindavan and Mathura where the Holi celebrations are to die for. From the amazing food to great culture confluences, you would definitely fall in love with the vibes an ambience of these particular places.