Surjit Singh Flora
Our vibrant community is celebrating many religious observances, festivities, and festivals. Our Muslim community is fasting for Ramadan, which ends with Eid al-Fitr in April. Our Hindu community celebrated Shivaratri and is now singing Chowtals and making Holi powders.
Our Hindu community will celebrate Navratri in April after the colorful celebration. The many Christian believers in our neighborhood began Lent on Ash Wednesday, February 14, and will culminate on Good Friday, March 29, with the magnificent Easter weekend and its uplifting celebration of hope and life.
The overlap of festivals, observances, and festivities makes this time of year auspicious and holy, with good sentiments of regeneration and rejuvenation arising with the end of winter and the anticipation of spring. To understand the wonderful changes that are warming our society, we must recognize a few timeless themes in this particular season of religiosity and overlapping religious festivities. We’re all feeling the lift in our steps as winter ends and spring arrives with its many and resplendent colors, and as we cleanse and rejuvenate through fasting, prayers, and reading our religious texts.
In our neighborhood and worldwide, Muslim believers are setting a wonderful example. Ramadan holds significant importance to Muslims globally as it is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) received the Holy Quran for humanity in this month. The fast, one of Islam’s five pillars-faith, prayer, charity, and pilgrimage-is also associated with Ramadan. According to the Holy Quran (2:183), Muslims should fast “O ye who believe, fasting is required for you, even as it was decreed for those before you, that ye may learn self-restraint.”
Ramadan is recognized worldwide for its followers’ self-discipline. Fasting Muslims refrain from food, drink, and marriage from sunrise until sunset. At night, a meal or drink breaks the fast. Abstinence from food and drink teaches about thirst and hunger, but it also draws the faithful closer to Allah and has pleasant and uplifting effects. Dedication and steadfastness lead to improved and devoted individuals who embrace Islam’s teachings and righteous conduct. Additionally, additional prayers and reading the Holy Quran contribute to the acquisition of cleansing and positive life values. With more commitment, self-discipline, and self-improvement via prayers and acts of kindness, the faithful will incorporate Ramadan’s teachings into their everyday lives. We welcome you as we observe and propose these sacred and festive activities in our vibrant community. While Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, may be their most joyful occasion. Old Indian tradition links Holi to Lord Krishna, the eighth avatar of Lord Vishnu, and Prahlad, the offspring of the wicked king Hiranyakashipu, like other Indian festivities. Know the history of the colorful Holi event.
The History of Holi
Holi has an ancient origin. Additionally, its commencement praises the ‘great’s enormous triumph over the ‘bad’. While Holi is a celebration of colors, its spirit is its primary rationale. Also, this explains the ‘why’ of this traditional holiday.
In India, “Holi” means “eating”. How it became associated with ‘eating’ is a tale. The connection is clear in ancient Indian mythology. The mythology of Hiranyakashipu also links Holi to it.
India had a pre-Christian demon ruler called Hiranyakashipu. He needed to justify his younger sibling’s death. The Hindu belief is that Lord Vishnu, one of the triplet controlling life and death, slew the brother, also a demon. To challenge Vishnu, the tyrannical monarch had to dominate paradise, earth, and the hidden realm. He prayed and atoned for a long period to gain strength. He finally accepted aid. Hiranyakashipu believed the shelter gave him power. He demanded that his kingdom worship him, not God, arrogantly. Prahalad, the evil presence lord’s infant, was very young. Vishnu was his passion. Despite his dad’s organization, Prahalad begged Vishnu. Thus, the wicked spirit king had to kill his kid. He begged his sister Holika, who was safe to fire after her aid. They planned Prahalad’s execution. Holika sat on a fire with Prahalad. However, Prahalad emerged solid beside the fire, and Holika, the demonic entity, remained. The true devotion and submission to Lord Vishnu rescued young Prahlad. Prahlad, the positive-feeling delegate, won. Losing Holika, the nasty agent. Lord Vishnu then slew Hiranyakashipu, the demon. Anyway, that’s a varied tale. Holika started Holi. Relighting the fire as big flames during Holi diminishes this mythology. Even now, many praise this occurrence. Before Holi’s full moon, massive flames are lighted to devour the indecencies’ souls. The narrative fit the festival’s mood.
Holi is a lovely and joyous festival, but it has many more aspects that affect our life. Though not evident, a closer look and a little thought will reveal Holi’s true significance in many ways. From socio-social to rigid to organic, there are reasons to respect and adore festivals. When it’s Holi, don’t keep yourself down and enjoy the event as much as possible by fully participating in each tradition.
Meaning in Mythology
Holi brings us closer to religion and culture since it’s a festival of stories. Prahlad and Hiranyakshyap’s tale came first. According to tradition, Hiranyakshyap, a demon and wonderful ruler, felt celestial and demanded worship. His son Prahlad revered Lord Vishnu, angering him. Hiranyakshyap suggested his sister Holika join a roaring fire with Prahlad on her lap to kill his kid, since she had a shelter. Many rumors imply that Prahlad was saving for his limited commitment to the master while Holika satisfied her evil craving. This fable inspired the consumption of Holika or ‘Holika dahan’
Holi also honors Radha and Krishna’s limitless love for painting Radha and other gopis. Krishna’s prank became a Holi tradition. According to folklore, Ogress Pootana tried to kill Krishna by feeding it poisonous milk on Holi. The Lord Shiva and Kamdev Holi tale is also quite popular in Southern India. Legend has it that Lord of Passion Kamadeva risked his life to rescue the world from Lord Shiva’s reflection. Ogress Dhundhi once troubled Raghu kids, but Holi antics drove him away. Kids still perform pranks and mock Holika Dahan, believing in the mythology.
Cultural Importance
Holi stories soothe people of reality since they all teach that good triumphs against evil. The Hiranyakashipu and Prahlad fable shows how extreme devotion to god pays off as god always accepts his true devotee into his shelter. Each of these tales encourages morality and honesty. This is crucial in a culture when so many people commit heinous crimes for little rewards and afflict the honest. Holi helps people believe in honesty and fairness and fight insidiousness. With the crops in full bloom and people anticipate a good gathering, Holi is also beloved. This allows a group permission to celebrate, be cheerful, and lower themselves in Holi.
Social Importance
Holi unites the nation and strengthens its fabric. Non-Hindus also love the event since everyone appreciates a colorful and happy celebration.
Even enemies become friends during Holi and ignore any sense of struggle. Everybody appreciates the celebration with a sense of brotherhood on this day, regardless of income.
People exchange blessings, sweets, and good news with friends and family at night. This renews and strengthens passionate relationships.
Natural Importance
It’s interesting that Holi is more important for our lives and bodies than pleasure and exhilaration.
We also owe our forefathers for starting Holi at a particular time. For having so much fun during the party. Since Holi falls at once, people are fatigued and sluggish. The body may be late due to the transition from cold to warm air. People scream loudly or speak raucously to counteract such tardiness. They have vibrant developments and loud music. Everything helps restore bodily structure. Also, shower colors impact the body. Scholars believe fluid Color or Abeer enters the body and pores. It strengthens body particles and improves health. The ritual of Holika Dahan provides another rational reason to praise Holi. Winter and spring start microbial growth in the environment and body. Holika reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit when burnt. When people practice Parikrama (circumambulation) around the fire, the heat kills microorganisms in the body, cleansing it. The southern festival of Holi promotes health. After Holika, people smeared debris (Vibhuti) on their forehead and burned Chandan (shoe glue) with young mango leaves and blooms to promote health. Some believe that playing with colors improves health since colors greatly impact our bodies. Western doctors and professionals agree that colors are important for a strong physique, along with other essentials. A certain tone deficiency produces illness, which can only be healed by boosting the body with that tone.
Holi helps people clean up their houses and get rid of mosquitoes and other pests. Perfect homes usually make residents feel better and provide excellent energy.
(The writer is a veteran journalist and freelance writer based in Brampton).
