Mangalore: Holi Hai! Riot of Colours as City Bathes in Festive Joy
Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (SP)
Mangalore, Mar 8: Holi, the festival of fun and frolic, to celebrate the onset of spring season, is being celebrated on Thursday March 8 with immense joy and spirit. People of all ages were seen coating each other with myriad colours, and the entire city wore a vibrant look of bliss and festivity.
Although Holi is a predominant festival in north India, it also is celebrated with gusto in some parts of south India where population of north Indian origin is predominant. In many temples across south India, last day of the annual festival is celebrated as Okuli, which also signifies bathing in different colours.
Basically, the festival used to be celebrated to share the joy of reaping a good harvest. People also believe that Holi is named after demon, Hiranyakashipu’s sister, Holika, who had earned the blessings to burn anyone by embracing or keeping them in her lap. At the end however, she used to remain unscathed, while the other person was reduced to ashes, as the fire god had promised not to burn her down. When she tried to burn ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu, Prahlada, by using this boon at the advice of her brother, Hiranyakashipu, Prahlada was unharmed, but Holika was burnt down, as the Lord had given the boon for protection and people’s welfare, and not to use it for evil motives.
The festival, celebrated on the last full moon day of Phalguna month as per Hindu calendar, is known for colour riot. During Holi, which stretches to three days in some states, people perform puja, burn wood and other waste materials, and on the last day, throw perfumed powder of different colours or spray coloured water with bamboo syringes on one another, or smear one another with colour paste. The festival is celebrated in India and Nepal mainly, and is celebrated on a grand scale in Braj, West Bengal, and other areas of north India. Different sweets, particularly Laddu and Holige, are made on this occasion.
Of late, there have been instances in which demeaning individuals have added harmful chemicals to colours, to the detriment of skin and hair of those who get smeared with them. Hence, it is safer to use home-made powder using different flowers and naturally grown ingredients. In the past, flowers like Palash, Tesu, henna, margosa, kumkum, turmeric, and bilva leaves were used to make colour powder. Synthetic colours contain lead oxide, engine oil, copper sulphate etc sometimes, and hence, should never be used, as they may give rise to allergic reactions, burns, and other harmful after-effects, experts advise.
Here is wishing everyone that the festival of colours will bring joy and colour to everyone’s life, and people will forget their enmity and hatred, and mix with each other like different colours, and make the world more enjoyable and beautiful as a result.