Holi, Colorful Passion of Love and Equality from India
NewDelhi - Holi is a spring festival celebrating new life. Holi has a diverse history of different ancient from region to region in India. For some, Holi is a day to honor the eternal love story of the eternal partner of Radha and Krishna. Others think about the love and sacrifice of Kama's god. There is also the story of Prahlad, the follower of the god Vishnu.
Related story of Prahlad, the story originated from the Hindu legend Holika, the devil and his brother King Hiranyakashayap. Hiranyakashayap believed that he was the ruler of the universe and superior to all gods. But his son, Prahlad, follows the god Vishnu, the preserver and protector of the universe. Prahlad's decision to fight his father, to make the father have no choice, and ordered the Holika to kill him.
Hindus take part in the Holi religious festival at a temple in Nandgaon village, in Uttar Pradesh state, India, February 25, 2018. The Holi festival is also celebrated in many countries other than India. REUTERS / Adnan Abid
Holika plans to take Prahlad into his lap and jump right into the fire. Holika will survive because he has a dazzling scarf that will protect him from fire. But his plan failed. Prahlad is saved by Vishnu and Holika who died because he is only immune to fire if he is alone.
Soon after, Vishnu killed Hiranyakashayap, and Prahlad became king. The moral of the story is that good always wins over evil.
In modern Holi day celebrations, Holika cremations are often reborn by lighting a bonfire at night before Holi, known as Holika Dahan. Some Hindus collect the ashes and rub on their bodies as purification actions. Read: Breakfast ala Tina Talisa: Children Menu Different with Parent Menu
Rangwali Holi takes place the next day and becomes a daily habit where people throw and apply colored powder to each other.
In addition to the Holika story, the tradition of throwing powder and colored water is believed to have originated from the mythological story of love of Radha and Krishna. Krishna, the Hindu god depicted with dark blue skin, is believed to always complain to his mother about the beautiful skin of Radha.
To ease the sadness of his son, his mother asks Krishna to color Radha's skin with paint. Since then, it is believed that it is from this story that the habit of smearing loved ones in color when Holi originated.
Holi Indian festival illustration (Pixabay.com)
According to Professor of religion at St. John's College. Olaf Minnesota Anantanand Rambachan, Holi is a time when traditional social boundaries are reversed. As he expressed to Huffpost, that in Holi's celebration, all became one, there was no difference in age, authority and status.
"At Holi, children can spray elders, and women can water men. Animosity, like the darkness and the cold of winter, is forgotten and unity prevails," Rambachan said.