Importance of Holi festival
Holi is an important festival of Hindus. The importance of the great Hindu festival is discussed below in points:
1. Festival of Colours: People squirt coloured water on friendly passers-by and cook many types of sweets and food. Hence, it is also known as “Festival of Colours”. It is celebrated nearly for two to three days.
2. It welcomes the spring season: It is celebrated during spring season that comes in February end or early March, as it welcomes spring season.
3. Symbolic: In the evening preceding the colour festival, bonfires are lit where people gathers, dance and sing. These symbolize the burning of Holika and the destruction of Evil.
4. Forgive others: On this day, people meet and repair any ruptured relationships, laugh, and play and forgive each other.
5. Major festival for North Indians: It is celebrated with great enthusiasm in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Delhi, especially in the northern parts of India.
6. Caste distinction is abandoned: Holi is the only festival where caste distinction is abandoned. People forget the caste, class, or race of one another. As the clothes, face, and body of all these people are filled up with colours, nobody can distinguish between the rich and the poor. On this day, there are hugs and wishes everywhere. People hug each other and wish “Happy Holi”.
7. Get together: After the colouring part, at evening, people dress themselves in good clothes and visits family and friends.
8. Mythological Significance: There is an interesting story behind the celebration of Holi festival. Once upon a time, there was the king of demons named Hiranyakashyap. He had a son named Prahlad.
However, Hiranyakashyap wanted to take life of his son, as he was the greatest devotee of Hindu God Vishnu.
Holika, the sister of the Hiranyakashyap, had a magical robe, which has the power to save the wearer from burning. Therefore, he asked his sister and his son to sit on burning fire.
However, the result was not in favour of him. Holika was burnt to death and Prahlad came out alive. It proved that one cannot harm the person who has God as his savior. The next day is celebrated with colours.
The day is called “Holi” after the name of Holika, and it marks the victory of goodness over evil.