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The
most popular among these concerns Prince Prahlad,
the god-fearing son of the evil King Hiranyakasipu.
Prahlad did not give up worshipping the god Vishnu
in spite of fearful persecution by his father and
his demon aunt Holika, who was deputed by her brother
to kill young Prahlad. Ultimately, when Holika who
was immune to death by fire, took Prahlad and entered
a blazing furnace built for his destruction, it was
the wicked Holika who was burnt to ashes by divine
intervention, while Prahlad came out unscathed. Before
she died, she realised her follies and begged the
boy's forgiveness. As his gesture of forgiveness,
Prahlad deemed that her name would be remembered at
least one day in the year. Holi commemorates this
event from mythology, and huge bonfires are burnt
on the eve of Holi as its symbolic representation.
This exuberant festival is also associated with the
immortal love of Krishna and Radha. The young Krishna
would complain to his mother Yashoda about why Radha
was so fair and he so dark. Yashoda advised him to
apply colour on Radha's face and see how her complexion
would change. Holi is celebrated with particular gaity
in the villages around Mathura, the birth-place of
Krishna.
Down
the ages, civilisation has advanced leaps and bounds,
but the spirit of Holi remains the same. Each year,
without fail, the old and the young alike, gather
into groups and indulge in a riot of colours.
Holi
is also synonymous with bhang, which is consumed by
many in the form of laddoos and ghols. One could get
away with almost anything on this day; squirting coloured
water on passers-by and dunking friends in the mud
pool saying "bura na mano, Holi hai" (don't
feel offended, it's Holi)
Apart
from this usual fun with coloured powder and water,
Holi is marked by vibrant processions which are accompanied
by folk songs, dances and a general sense of abandoned
vitality.
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