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Holi, a Hindu festival often celebrated most prominently in India, is finally here on Friday, March 14. According to holifestival.org, the history of the festival is detailed in several early religious texts. However, the meaning of the celebration has changed throughout its expansive history. In the early days, the festival was originally known as ‘Holika’ and was performed as a special rite by married women hoping for prosperity and happiness in their families. During these rites, the women worshipped the full moon, which was called Raka.
Today, the festival is celebrated to mark the beginning of spring and the concept of love by Indians all over the world. The main tradition of Holi is the throwing of natural or synthetic colors at others in the festival. There are different myths associated with the reason this tradition started, but the most common one includes the Indian deity Lord Krishna being jealous of his soulmate Radha’s complexion. In his jealousy, Krishna asked his mother to fix the injustice, to which he was told to paint Radha’s complexion with any choice of color. Through this myth, the celebration has become a symbol of love, as partners color each other with pigments.
Holi is a significant festival in Indian tradition, especially for its celebration of Indian mythology and religion. Holi itself is a celebration of different deities across Hindu and Indian religions and is thus an outlet for spirituality to many people. Holi also plays a large cultural significance for people with Indian heritage. Along with being celebrated across the world within Indian households, it allows for social gatherings and the celebration of Indian tradition. Overall, Holi is an important part of cultural holidays and celebrations as well as a reminder that spring is in bloom, so celebrate!
Photo: WashU Medicine
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