Holi Indian festival of Colors

festival of colors मुझे रंग दे



Holi Festival of Colors celebration at the Krishna Temple in Spanish Fork, Utah as reported by Jack Waters of UVX News.



The night before the Holi Festival (India's annual festival of color), a scarecrow-like effigy of a demon-god is burnt. We attended the festival in Hampi, Karnataka, and it was definitely more than a bit crazy. More videos to come, but this is of a firedancer there



the first 3 days in india...happy holi festival and delhi main bazaar busy

Holi : the festival of colour and togetherness

an annual festival in India, people hurl colored powder at each other.



Holi festival in Omkareshwar, India

HOLI - festival of colors new delhi india



Indian Orkuteers Holi In South hall,London




These are few video clips on the festival of Holi which will be celebrated on 21 March 2008. On the full moon day of Holi festivals fire is lit and religious ceremonies are performed in most part of India. It is celebrated as Prahlad the devotee son of the demon king Hiranyakashyap, was being tried to kill by his Demon Dad, for praising Lord Vishnu, and spending his life in devotion to Lord Vishnu, also known as Narayana or the Supreme. Hiranya Kashyap, tried to kill his devotee son Prahalad for praising the God.

Hiranyakaship was a demon king who by a long and arduous penance, got a boon from God Bhrahma which almost made it impossible to kill him. The boon Hiranyakaship asked and was granted was that, he would not be killed "during day or night; inside the home or outside, not on earth or on sky; neither by a man nor an animal; neither by astra nor by shastra (weapons)"

Hiranayakashyap cleverly demanded this boon as the boon of immortality is never given to anybody. This boon was cleverly designed for the immortality. After getting this boon the arrogance and ego of the demo king Hiranyakashyap soared to the heights. Strongly believing that he could never be killed he started attacks on heaven and earth. He proclaimed himself to be God, and those praising or devoted to any Gods would be killed for the offence.

Hiranyakashyap's own son Prahlad, turned out to be a devotee of Lord Vishnu विष्ण . The arrogance the madness of power would not even spare his own son. Prahlad was being ordered to kill for the offense of praising the Lord. There were many orders given which failed as the Lord was with His devotee protecting and saving him. Prahalad was being ordered to be poisoned. poison turned to nectar. Was left in a room full with poisonous snakes and was left with mad elephants to be crushed, Prahlad survived with the grace of God protecting him all the time. King Hiranyakashyap, frustrated by now thought of another way to get rid of his son who was hurting his ego too much. He had a sister named Holika, who had the powers that the fire could not hurt her. Prahlad was ordered to sit on the lap of Holika, on a pyre of wood, with the idea that the fire would burn Prahlad to ashes and Holika would come out unhurt ny the fire, as always. Prahalad prayed to Vishnu to save him, the prayer was herd as always and to the amazement of all and the agony of Hiranyakaship, Holika was burnt to ashes and Prahlad remained unhurt from the burning flames of fires.

Holi is celebrated for this incident of survival of devotee Prahlad and burning of Holika. The festival puts the emphasis on burning the demons like Holika. Symbolically the demons in us like arrogance, cruelty has to be burnt.

later Lord Vishnu came in the form of a Narasimha (who is half-man and half-lion) and killed Hiranyakashipu at dusk (which was neither day nor night), on the steps of the porch of his house (which was neither inside the house nor outside) by restraining him on his lap (which is neither in the sky nor on the earth) and mauling him with his claws (which are neither astra nor shastra).

Though the Holi festival is celebrated throughout India. In Vrindavan and Mathura, where Lord Krishna grew up, the festival is celebrated for 16 days (until Rangpanchmi in commemoration of the divine love of Radha for Krishna).

Next day the festival of colors Dhuleti, which is captured in most videos above is celebrated. The one which we see are the modern versions. Originally the playful throwing of the coloured powders has a medicinal significance: the colours are traditionally made of Neem, Kumkum, Haldi, Bilva, and other medicinal herbs prescribed by Āyurvedic doctors. Now a days it is rare to be seen and the markets are filled with synthetic colors.

Also special drinks like Thandai and Bhang are drunk on this festive occasion.