All over the country, Holi is one of the biggest Hindu festivals celebrated with utmost fun, thrill & excitement. This celebration is known as the “Festival of Colors”, and is celebrated over two days. In Sanskrit, Holi is also known as the Festival of Love, or Spring Festival. Holi marks the beginning of spring as the flowers begin to bloom.

Holi is not only a celebration of colors, but it also has social, mythological, and cultural significance. In Hinduism, Holi celebrates the beginning of spring as well as the triumph of good over evil. Globally, the festival has been adopted even though it originated in India and is celebrated as a religious festival.

The night before is known as “Holika Dahan”, followed by the main day of “Dhulandi”. The festival involves visiting relatives and friends, lighting bonfires, playing with colors, exchanging sweets, and having lots of fun. Holi celebrations are incomplete without drinking a milk-based drink called “Thandai”, filled with different nuts.

Holi Festival 2023: History

Holi celebrates the triumph of good over evil. Hiranyakashyap, the king of Asuras (demons), was blessed with a boon that made him feel immortal. As a result, the king became arrogant and demanded that even gods worship him. Hiranyakashyap’s son Prahlada never supported him and worshiped Lord Vishnu. In response, the king and his sister Holika planned to kill Prahlada. She sat on a pyre with her nephew Prahlada, wearing a fire-resistant cloak, but the cloak flew to Prahlada, resulting in Holika’s death. The evil king was surprised to discover that Prahlad survived. Thus, the good triumphed over evil.

Why is Holi Celebrated with Colors?

The reason for celebrating Holi with colors dates back to the time of Lord Krishna. During Holi celebrations, colors were used to commemorate Krishna and Radha’s love. According to mythology, Lord Krishna’s skin turned blue because he was poisoned by the demon Putna. The dark skin tone of Krishna made him feel inferior, and he was unsure if Radha would like him. He feared that Radha might not talk to him due to the color difference between both of them. So, Yashoda, the mother of Lord Krishna suggested him to ask Radha to paint his face with any color of her choice. Radha colored Krishna’s face, and since then they became a couple.

Holi is not only a festival of joy but also a time when we learn important life lessons. Here are the lessons you can learn from this festival of colors and find a new meaning for Holi:

• Burn your Negative Thoughts

Hiranyakashipu is a symbol for negative thinking because he had negative thoughts about his own kid. To live a peaceful and joyful life, one must get rid of such negative thinking. Let this Holi be the last time you think negatively, as this is bad for your mental health. One’s life can be ruined by negative thoughts. Burn whatever negative thoughts you may have. Feeling depressed and lacking energy are two of the most common effects of negative thinking. A wide range of unpleasant emotions, none of which are pleasant, might range from rage, irritation, and irritability to even anxiety and sadness. Fill your life with new vitality, passion, and positive energy by burning your negative thoughts in the Holika Dahan bonfire.

• Maintain a Persistent Attitude

Prahlada is the picture of perseverance. Despite being subjected to harsh punishment by his own father, he didn’t give up. In a challenging circumstance, Prahlada maintained his faith in Lord Vishnu. In a same spirit, we must maintain our will and move forward despite the obstacles we encounter on a daily basis.

• Embrace the Different Colors of Life

Holi is also called a Spring Festival and celebrates the arrival of spring, as mentioned at the beginning of this article. This is why we bring out different colors of gulal, the colored powder that was originally extracted from flowers. In the absence of colors or with just one color, Holi would seem dull and uninteresting.

Colors are an integral part of the festival, just as life also consists of different colors i.e. good times, difficult times, problems, challenges, happiness, success, failure, etc. Embrace these different colors of life and enjoy them all with full energy and enthusiasm.

• Do Forgive and Forget

Holi gives us the opportunity to forgive even our enemies, to celebrate the festival of colors alongside them, and to make friends with them again. It’s obviously not easy, but that is why Holi is such a special occasion to forgive and forget. Historically there are several examples and stories of enemies who became friends after they had a Holi celebration together.

• Prioritize your Relationships

Holi, the festival of colors, is the perfect time to appreciate, revitalize and celebrate all of your important relationships. As you celebrate, your family members and friends come together and share a collaborative spirit. On this occasion, you rekindle broken relationships and enjoy all your relationships.

• Self-Care is Important

Self-care is one of the most powerful lessons that the festival of colours delivers. People have played Holi in a variety of ways. Some people utilise chemical colours, balloons, and dirty water, which makes this day a time for self-care. Even if they do not use such dangerous chemicals, some people use the powdered versions of gulal and abeer. There is therefore a lot of preparation that goes into playing safe Holi. Whenever someone applies colour to you, make sure you are wearing sunglasses and your eyes are closed. Use oil to provide your skin with the greatest level of protection from the colours and dress in old full-length, full-sleeved clothing.

It’s important to practise moderation in everything you do, including when indulging in delicacies and the sweet milk beverage (thandai).

Similarly, it is important to practise self-care in daily life. Others have harmed us physically and mentally, both purposefully and unknowingly. One must be conscious of both, their own environment and their surroundings. The best course of action is to be proactive when some questionable thoughts come to mind.

• Celebrate Equality

Holi also teaches equality as a powerful life lesson. The festival is celebrated with colors. When color is applied to the face, everyone looks the same. The skin color of all becomes the same and we are all equal. The day must be dedicated to burning out all forms of inequality.

In different regions of India, Holi is one of the most popular and vibrant Hindu festivals. It brings an end to winter and ushers in spring. It also highlights the triumph of good over evil. People shower each other with colors and exchange wishes for the Holi festival. So, a very Happy and Safe Holi to all of you.