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                                          > This year (2010), Holi being celebrated on Feb.28 & March 1
      Holi in the hindi cinema Sholy
          Holi in the Hindi cinema Sholay      
  Holi (होली)
  Holi festival of colours 
  History
  Legends 
  Rituals
  Holi in Vandraban (Lathmar Holi) 
  In Goa Holi is celebrated as Shigmo  
  Pink City to host elephant festival  
  Lucknow keeping Holi traditions alive  
  Health Hazards 
  Play Holi With Safe Colours 
  Holi and bhang 

  Holi (होली)
 
Holi  (होली)  is a joyous celebration of the colors of love and life and a festival that celebrates the end of evil and the victory of truth. In India Holi  has traditionally been celebrated  without any distinction of cast, creed, color, race, status or sex. It is one occasion when sprinkling colored powder ('gulal') or colored water on each other breaks all barriers of discrimination.  It is celebrated as harvest festival as well as welcome-festival for the spring season in India. This year (2010)  holi being celebrated on March 1. Holi is also called  'Phagwah' which is derived from the name of the Hindu month 'Phalgun'. The month of Phalgun ushers India in Spring when seeds sprout, flowers bloom and the country rises from winter's slumber. In West Bengal, it is known as Dolyatra (Doljatra) or Boshonto Utsav ("spring festival").       

     
     

  Holi festival of colours 
  Holi, is among the most popular Indian festivals, celebrated through the length and breadth in India. During this festival, the people of India, forget their personal sorrows and qualms, and celebrate the myriad of colours that lighten our life and make it pleasent. Holi, the festival of colours, is thus a tribute to joy, to our unending search for happiness and to life.  During this festival, the people of India, forget their personal sorrows and qualms, and celebrate the myriad of colours that lighten their life and make it worth living. Holi, the festival of colours, is a tribute to joy, to our unending search for happiness and to life. 
  To celebrate Holi people visits to their friends or move around in groups and apply colour on each other. People embrace and greet each other by applying abir as ‘tilak’. Any feeling of adversity or hostility is forgotten on that day. On this day of Holi even enemies become friends. 
   The social element during Holi is the uniting or “embracing” of the great and the small, of the rich and the poor. It is also the uniting of equals. We should forget the outgoing year’s ill-feelings and begin the new year with feelings of love, sympathy, co-operation and equality with all. Holi also means “sacrifice”. Burn all the impurities of the mind, such as egoism, vanity and lust, through the fire of devotion and knowledge. Ignite cosmic love, mercy, generosity, selflessness, truthfulness and purity.

 
History
 
Holi is an ancient festival of India, said to have existed even centuries before Christ. Historian believe that Holi was first celebrated by the Aryans. A detailed narrative of this festival, originally known as Holika, is found in early religious texts like Puranas. A stone inscription belonging to 300 BC found at Ramgarh mentions “Holikotsav” on it. King Harsha, has mentioned about “holikotsav” in his work Ratnavali that was written during the 7th century. The famous Muslim historian - Al- Baruni also described  “holikotsav” in his historical memories. According to him, this festival was celebrated not only by Hindus but also by the Muslims. In West Bengal and Orissa, Holi Poornima is celebrated as the birthday of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. 
                                                                                                                                              

    
 
 
      
    
 
 

  Legends 
 
 The Legend of Holika:  According to a Puranic story, a demon king Hiranyakashap  wanted everybody in his kingdom to worship only him but to his great disappointment, his son Prahlad became an ardent devotee of Lord Narayana. The demon-king punished his son, Prahlad in a variety of ways to denounce Lord Narayana. He failed in all his attempts. Finally, he asked his sister Holika to take Prahlad in her lap and enter a blazing fire. Holika had a boon to remain unburned even inside fire. Holika did her brother's bidding. However, Holika's boon ended by this act of supreme sin against the Lord's devotee and was burnt to ashes. But Prahlad came out unharmed. This remind people that those who love God shall be saved, and they that torture the devotee of God shall be reduced to ashes.
 Ras-Lila:  It is a festival of romance and immortal love-play (Ras-lila) of Radha and Krishna. Lord Krishna is believed to have popularized the festival by playing pranks  and gulals on the gopis and Radha. Once Krishna  complained to his mother about the contrast between his dark colour and his consort Radha's fair colour. Krishna's mother decided to apply colour to Radha's face. The tradition continues as each year in spring, the celebrated season of love.
 Legend of Kamadeva (god of love): Kama's body was destroyed when he shot his weapon at Shiva in order to disrupt his penance and help Parvati to marry Shiva. Shiva then opened his third eye, the gaze of which was so powerful that Kama's body was reduced to ashes. For the sake of Kama's wife Rati (passion), Shiva restored him, but only as a mental image, representing the true emotional and mental state of love rather than physical lust. The Holi bonfire is believed to be celebrated in commemoration of this event.

   Prahlad in the laps of Holika
   Prahlad in the 
  laps of Holika
 

   Lord Krishna playing holi with Radha
  Lord Krishna playing
  Holi with Radha
 
 

  Rituals
 
In North India this festival main emphasis is laid on the burning of Holika or lighting of Holi. On the first day of Holi (February 28, 2010), bonfires are lit at night to signify burning the demoness Holika, Hiranyakashipu's sister. On the second day (March 1, 2010), known as Dhuleti, people spend the day throwing coloured powder and water at each other
  In Bengal, Holi is known as Dol Yatra or the swing festival'. The Bengali celebrations focus on the legendary love of Krishna and Radha. In Santiniketan however, Holi, known as Basant Utsav, is celebrated as a tribute to the season of spring. Originally started by poet Rabindranath Tagore, this festival is celebrated by the students  with much fervour. 
  The festival of Holi lasts just six days in Manipur and it is amalgamated with the centuries-old Manipuri festival called Yaosang.
  In Maharashtra and Gujarat, a huge procession of men drenched in colored water takes to the streets. In honor of Lord Krishna, the men call out a warning, "Here comes Govinda, take care of your butter and milk".  
  In South India Holi is known by the name of Kamadahana , the day on which Cupid was burnt by Lord Siva. In South India, people follow the tradition of worshiping Kaamadeva, the god of love in Indian mythology.
  The Banjara tribes of Andhra Pradesh celebrate Holi in their own way with graceful dances and songs.
                                                                                                                                       
 
Holi in Vandraban (Lathmar Holi) 
 
Holi is more significance at the birthplace of the Lord Krishna, Brajbhoomi which is made up of the two cities 
Mathura and Vrindavan. The festivities commence in this region one week earlier than in other cities and last for 16 vibrant days. Here, Lord Krishna is simultaneously worshiped and celebrated with play-fighting among young men and women. Vrindavan, in particular, has become known as a favorite spot for lovers.
 The village of Barsana, a short distance from Mathura, has its own unique ritual. Radha was from Barsana, while Krishna was from the village of Nandagow. During Holi, men from Nandagow descend on Barsana to celebrate, but are beaten with sticks (Lathmar Holi) by the women and sprayed with color. The men must try to avoid capture and any who fail will be dressed up as women and made to dance. This ritual may have overtones of courtship.
 
In Goa Holi is celebrated as Shigmo  
 
All over India the festival is celebrated as Holi but in Goa, this festival is celebrated as Shigmo during Phalgun, which is the last month of the Hindu calendar. The word Shigmo actually is evolved from Sugimha or Sugrishma which means the pleasant summer. Forgetting differences based on caste and status, all participate in the Shigmo with the spirit of equality. The folk artists of the land reflect the echoes of a rich cultural heritage. 
  The Shigmo of Goa has a unique character and identity. In the past during Shigmo, Goans sprayed each other with colours made from dried wild flowers which caused little or no inconvenience. Gulal made of rice flour mixed with turmeric powder was also sprayed on those celebrating the festival. But now, the colourful chemicals   are sprayed, which cause a lot of health hazards.
 
Pink City to host elephant festival  
 
The annual Elephant Festival is being organised at jaipur  on February 28, where tourists can play holi while riding pachyderms and witness performances by folk artistes. "The annual event, popular as 'Elephant Festival', would be organised at Chaugan stadium where 30 decorated elephants will be participating in different competitions," Tourism department Additional Director Vinod Ajmera told reporters today. "Tourists would enjoy and play holi while sitting on elephants. Over 100 folk artistes will also perform several programmes," he said.
                                           Elephent festival at Jaipur
  The official said the three-hour festival was expected to be witnessed by thousands of tourists, including foreigners and added that there would be competitions for the visitors too.

  Lucknow keeping Holi traditions alive  
 
The descendants of the nawabs of Avadh in Lucknow continued to organise Holi festivities and celebrate the festival of colours with their Hindu brethren keeping the spirit of "Ganga-Jamuna tehzeeb" of Avadh alive. The royal families residing around the city station area here have been organising holi functions to share the joy and mirth associated with the festival, strengthening the bonds of brotherhood nurtured since the times of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah. 
  The descendants of the Nawabs as well as the womenfolk not just offer gujiyas to the Holi revellers but also take great joy of smearing gulal on each other as per the Avadhi traditions and Ganga-Jamuna tehzeeb. Since the times of the nawabs, Holi had been celebrated in Lucknow by preparing special colours from tesu ka phool and by applying gulal on each other. Lucknow has had its own traditions where all festivals are celebrated by people belonging to different religions and castes.
                                                                                                                                          

   Health Hazards 
  
Most Holi colors sold in the market are oxidized metals or industrial dyes mixed with engine oil.  All these are toxic and can result in anything from skin allergies, eye irritation, blindness and much more. When washed, they enter the rivers and the soil and increase pollution. 
  This research revealed that Holi colours come in three forms; pastes, dry colours and water colours: The pastes contain very toxic chemicals that can have severe health effects as follows:
  Black contains lead oxide and can cause renal failure. 
  Green contains copper sulphate and can cause eye allergy, puffiness and temporary blindness. 
  Silver contains aluminium bromide which is carcinogenic. 
  Blue contains prussian blue which can lead to contact dermatitis. 
  Red contains mercury sulphate which is highly toxic and can cause skin cancer. 
  The dry colours, commonly known as gulals, have two components – a colourant that is toxic and a base which could be either asbestos or silica, both of which cause health problems. Heavy metals contained in the colourants can cause asthma, skin diseases and temporary blindness. 
  Wet colours, mostly use gentian violet as a colour concentrate which can cause skin discolouration and dermatitis.

    
   Toxic colours used in Holi
 
Most Holi colors sold in the market are toxic and can result in anything from skin allergies, eye irritation, blindness and much more.   

  Play Holi With Safe Colours 
 
By using safe, natural colors we not only save our skins but also help save our environment and conserve our biodiversity. When these colors percolate into the soil and water they do not add toxicity to our blue planet, and cause no harm to the myriad life forms that live in the soil and water. Thereby, we also popularize the diverse plants and trees that give us these colors, and live life the Vedic way, our ancient and most precious heritage.
  Instead of chemical dye one should use floral dyes. Flowers like Marigold, China rose, Butterfly Pea, Flame of the Forest etc are used for the extraction of colourful dye. These dyes are non-toxic and do not cause any harm to skin or to the face. For making herbal gulal the floral dyes are extracted from colourful flowers by aqueous extraction process of fixed flower – water ratio. Then this dye is mixed with powder and a fixed amount of  starch.
  The following are the Safeguards while using colours: 
• Use natural/skin friendly and herbal colours. 
• Apply a nice layer of oil to your hair before playing Holi and try to protect it with a caps or hat.
• Wear clothes that cover maximum part of your body, apply a layer of a good quality cream or oil to your skin.
• Use more of red or pink colours, which look good and can be easily taken off. Other colours should be avoided.
• Apply thick coating of paint on your nails, both in fingers and toes to protected
• If irritation occurs wash off the colour from your that part immediately.
• In case of a minor rash apply soothing calamine lotion.
• Avoid sunlight in case the skin is seriously affected as it will increase the irritation.
• Cleaning the skin and hair finally of all the colours. To wipe the face of gulal  opt for a cleanser.  
• Do not use kerosene, Petrol or spirits to remove stains as this will further dry the skin.
• After celebrating Holi,  remove colour and replenish and rejuvenate the skin by using a paste of soyabean flour 
or besan with milk. A mixture of sea salt, glycerine and few drops of aroma oil have anti-bacterial and anti-fungal effect and can take care of the bad effects of chemical colours. 
  Holi and bhang 
 
Avoid Bhang  as it has now become synonymous with Holi. Bhang is a traditional intoxicant, made by grinding the leaves and stems of the Indian hemp (cannabis indica). It can be consumed either as a pellet, or stirred into a lassi or thandai and there are also bhang pakoras, and other diverse creations. In Indian metros,  the weed takes on innovative forms with bhang cocktails, bhang brownies and bhang ice cream, especially during Holi. Ground bhang leaves make a potent mix on being added to a sugar-based dish. 
 
But not everyone knows of the enormous health benefits of bhang - known as cannabis sativa in medical language 
- that is widely used in ayurvedic treatments. Cannabis is used for a multitude of ailments such as pain, nausea and vomiting, weight loss associated with debilitating disease and neurologically induced spasticity . If taken in proper quantities, it has been found to cure fever, dysentery and sunstroke, clear phlegm, quicken digestion and appetite. Many medical conditions respond favourably to it, such as arthritis, multiple sclerosis, depression, anxiety and others. It has also shown promise in treating skin problems.  Moreover, the juice of the Indian hemp can remove dandruff and head lice. 
  The history of bhang lies in Hindu mythology and its preparations were sacred to gods, particularly Lord Shiva, who is regarded as the "Lord of Bhang". He is said to have discovered the transcendental properties of the mixture. 
In 1000 BC, bhang was used as an intoxicant in India and Atharvaveda describes it as a healthy herb that "releases anxiety". Sadhus usually consume bhang to boost meditation and achieve transcendental states. It was also said to be popular among Sufis as an aid to spiritual ecstasy. 
  But too much bhang can be harmful. It can cause psychosis, increase the heart rate and blood pressure. 

     

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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