Celebrated on the full moon day of the month of Phalgun in the Hindu calendar, Holi, also known as the Festival of Colors, is one of the most important festivals in India as well as many countries with Hindu communities.
This year, Holi will be celebrated on March 14. Here's what visitors need to know if they're in India this time of year.
Early Start
The Holi festival begins the night before the main festival with the Holika Dahan ritual - burning of effigies to commemorate the destruction of the demon Holika. The next day, Rangwali Holi, is the most exciting time when people throw colored powder on each other. Children eagerly practice throwing powder for days in advance, while people shop for the festival. In Braj, Holi lasts for 16 days.
Symbol of Justice
Holi is named after Holika, a demoness in Hindu mythology, the sister of the demon king Hiranyakashyap. According to legend, the evil king wanted to stop his son, Prahlad, from worshipping the god Vishnu, but failed. He ordered Prahlad and Holika, who were said to be immune to fire, to sit on a pyre. When the fire broke out, Holika was burned to death, while Prahlad survived thanks to the protection of Vishnu. Holi thus became a symbol of the triumph of justice. On the eve of the festival or after sunset, people gather together and light pyres.
Festival specialties
During this occasion, Indian families prepare gujiya - a sweet cake filled with dried fruits and nuts, often flavored with cardamom. Common fillings include pistachios, cashews, coconut and raisins. Gujiya is an indispensable dish at Holika Dahan parties.
Celebrate with cannabis milk
Some drink bhang, a drink made from milk mixed with resin and leaves from the Himalayan cannabis plant. The drink has a history of more than 3,000 years, is associated with the god Shiva and is legally sold in government -run bhang shops.
Meaning of throwing flour
According to legend, Lord Krishna was cursed by a demon that turned his skin blue. Fearing that his lover Radha would not accept him, his mother advised him to paint her face. Since then, the custom of throwing colored powder has become a characteristic of Holi.
Each color has a meaning
Not only creating a brilliant scene, the colors in Holi have their own symbols. Red symbolizes love and marriage, green is associated with Lord Krishna and new beginnings.
Secrets to protecting your skin
To prevent the pigment from sticking for a long time, festival-goers often moisturize their skin and hair thoroughly to limit the pigment from sticking. However, the clothes are almost impossible to reuse after the festival.
Spread around the world
Not just limited to India, Holi is also celebrated in Bangladesh, Pakistan and countries with large Hindu communities such as South Africa and Malaysia. In the UK and the US, many events, festivals and concerts are held, giving people everywhere the opportunity to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of the festival of colours.
TB (summary)Source: https://baohaiduong.vn/doc-dao-le-hoi-nem-bot-mau-an-do-407223.html
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