• • HOLI: FESTIVLE OF COLOURS
    The “Holi” festival is a very fun-filled and popular occasion in the Nepal and India. It is religious festival celebrated by Hindu and also known as “color of festival”.Holi is celebrated at the end of the winter season on the last full moon day of the lunar month Falguan(feb/march),Falguan Purnima.
    Every year, thousands of Hindus participate in the festival Holi. The festival has many purposes. First and foremost, it celebrates the beginning of the new season, spring. It also has a religious purpose, commemorating many events that are present in Hindu mythology. Although it is the least religious holiday, it is probably one of the most exhilarating ones in existence. During this event, participants hold a bonfire, throw colored powder at each other, and celebrate wildly. Originally, it was a festival that commemorated good harvests and the fertile land. In addition to celebrating the coming of spring, Holi has even greater purposes. Hindus believe it is a time of enjoying spring's abundant colors and saying farewell to winter. Furthermore, Holi celebrates many religious myths and legends.
    According to this belief, Hiranyakashipu's own son Prahalad was a devotee of Lord Vishnu. In spite of several threats from Hiranyakashipu, Prahalad continued offering prayers to Lord Vishnu. He was poisoned by Hiranyakashipu, but the poison turned to nectar in his mouth. He was ordered to be trampled by elephants yet remained unharmed. He was put in a room with hungry, poisonous snakes and survived. All of Hiranyakashipu's attempts to kill his son failed. Finally, he ordered young Prahalad to sit on a pyre on the lap of his demoness sister Holika who could not die because she also had a boon. And a boon which would prevent fire from burning her. Prahalad readily accepted his father's orders, and prayed to Vishnu to keep him safe. When the fire started, everyone watched in amazement as Holika burnt to death, while Prahalad survived unharmed, the burning of Holika is celebrated as Holi.
    In Bindraban and Mathura Lord Krishna grew up, the festival is celebrated for 16 days (until Rangpanchmi) in commemoration of the divine love of Radha for Krishna. The festivities officially usher in spring, the celebrated season of love. Originally, it was a festival that commemorated good harvests and the fertile land. In addition to celebrating the coming of spring, Holi has even greater purposes. Hindus believe it is a time of enjoying spring's abundant colors and saying farewell to winter. Furthermore, Holi celebrates many religious myths and legends.
    In Nepal Holi is regarded as one of the greatest festivals as important as Dashian and Tihar. Since more than 80% of people in Nepal are Hindu. Holi, along with many other Hindu festivals, is celebrated in Nepal as a national festival and almost everyone celebrates it regardless of their religion, e.g., even Muslim celebrates it. Christians may also join in, although since Holi falls during Lent many would not join in the festivities. The day of Holi is also a national holiday in Nepal.
    People walk down their neighborhoods to celebrate Holi by exchanging colors and spraying colored water on one another. A popular activity is the throwing of water balloons at one another, sometimes called Lola (meaning water balloon). Also a lot of people mix bhang in their drinks and food, as also done during Shivaratri. It is believed that the combinations of different colors played at this festival take all the sorrow away and make life itself more colorful.
    
    Bel Bahadur Bishwakarma
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