Holi Celebration: 2024| Significance | Legend

How is Holi celebrated in India?

By Intimate Viewpoint

Introduction:

Holi is the festival of colours, enthusiasm, and happiness. It is also a festival of love and brotherhood. People apply colours and Gulal and hug each other by forgetting enmity. Thus, this festival spreads love and affection among human beings and gives a message of friendship.

When is it celebrated?

Holi is celebrated annually in March in the Gregorian calendar and on the full moon day of Phalgun in the lunar calendar. 

Holi is also known differently in many states in India, it is known as 'Dhol Utsav' in West Bengal, 'Lathmar Holi' in Barsane and 'Phoolon wali Holi' in Vrindavan. Holi is the second largest festival of Hindus after Diwali.

Celebration:

Although Holi is celebrated somehow in the whole month of March, traditionally it is celebrated in the full moon day of Phalgun. One day before Holi, Holika Dahan is performed which is another crucial ritual of this festival. Holi is not just a festival of colours and Gulal but also sweets and tasty dishes. Housewives are found engaged in the kitchen, and gents are found engaged in the shopping and buying two days before of Holi festival.

On the day of Holi, children get ready with colours and Pichkaries in the morning. The whole day passes with joy and happiness. In this way, Holi is celebrated in India.

Legend:

There are many legends about when and why Holi is celebrated in Hinduism, The universally accepted one is that in Hinduism, Holi has been celebrated since the time when Lord Vishnu came to earth in the form of Krishna, and goddess Lakshmi in the form of Radha.

Krishna used to play Holi with Radha. He used to go to Barsana with his friends to play Holi with Radha and her friends, and they used to chase them away by beating them with sticks, since then, Holi has been known there as Lathmar Holi. 

Since then, the festival of Holi has been celebrated every year in Hinduism.