Hey everybody!

How have you all been? It has been so long since I posted on my site that I thought why not today on Holi, the festival of colors.

Holi is not a festival I particularly celebrate. But that does not mean I do not see the happiness it brings to those who do – full of Colors, dance, music and joy everywhere.

Ever wondered Holi is celebrated?

The story goes like this –

Hiranyakashipu was a powerful asura who received a special boon from Lord Brahma. According to the boon, he could not be killed by an animal or human, cannot die during the day nor night, neither indoors nor outdoors, neither in the ground or the sky and not by any weapon. His ultimate aim was the destruction of Lord Vishnu whom he hated.

Ironically, his son Prahlada was an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu. When Prahlada refused to stop praying to Lord Vishnu, Hiranyakashipu tried to kill Prahlada many times but was unsuccessful every single time. One of the methods he had used to try and kill Prahlada was by making Prahlada sit in a pyre along with Holika. Holika was the sister of the asura Hiranyakashipu. Holika had a boon that allowed her to be immune to fire. But Lord Vishnu instead burnt Holika and saved his devotee Prahlada.

Eventually, Lord Vishnu took the Narasimha Avatar and killed Hiranyakashipu.

The night before Holi is celebrated as Holika Dahan. Just like Holika was burnt, Holika Dahan is performed with a bonfire as a triumph of good over evil.