HOLI.....CELEBRATION,LEGEND AND SAFETY............

Holi is an ancient festival of India and was originally known as 'Holikaa' The festivals finds a detailed description in early religious works such as Jaimini's Purvamimamsa-Sutras and Kathaka-Grhya-Sutras. Historians also believe that Holi was celebrated by all Aryans but more so in the Eastern part of India. It is said that Holi existed several centuries before Christ. However, the meaning of the festival is believed to have changed over the years. Earlier it was a special rite performed by married women for the happiness and well-being of their families and the full moon (Raka) was worshiped. 

The Legend of Holika and Prahlad...........

There was once a demon king by the name of Hiranyakashyap who won over the kingdom of earth. He was so egoistic that he commanded everybody in his kingdom to worship only him. But to his great disappointment, his son, Prahlad became an ardent devotee of Lord Naarayana and refused to worship his father.

Hiranyakashyap tried several ways to kill his son Prahlad but Lord Vishnu saved him every time. Finally, he asked his sister, Holika to enter a blazing fire with Prahlad in her lap. For,Hiranyakashyap knew that Holika had a boon, whereby, she could enter the fire unscathed. 

Treacherously, Holika coaxed young Prahlad to sit in her lap and she herself took her seat in a blazing fire. The legend has it that Holika had to pay the price of her sinister desire by her life. Holika was not aware that the boon worked only when she entered the fire alone. Prahlad, who kept chanting the name of Lord Naarayana all this while, came out unharmed, as the lord blessed him for his extreme devotion. Thus, Holi derives its name from Holika. And, is celebrated as a festival of victory of good over evil. 

Holi is also celebrated as the triumph of a devotee. As the legend depicts that anybody, howsoever strong, cannot harm a true devotee. And, those who dare torture a true devotee of god shall be reduced to ashes.

Celebration of the Legend.........................

Even today, people enact the scene of 'Holika's burning to ashes' every year to mark the victory of good over evil. In several states of India, specially in the north, effigies of Holika are burnt in the huge bonfires that are lit.There is even a practice of hurling cow dungs into the fire and shouting obscenities at it as if at Holika.Then everywhere one hears shouts of 'Holi-hai! Holi-hai!The tradition of burning 'Holika' is religiously followed in Gujarat and Orissa also.Here,people render their gratitude to Agni, the god of fire by offering gram and stalks from harvest with all humility. 

Further, on the last day of Holi, people take a little fire from the bonfire to their homes. It is believed that by following this custom their homes will be rendered pure and their bodies will be free from disease.At several places there is also a tradition of cleaning homes, removing all dirty articles from around the house and burning them. Disease-breeding bacteria are thereby destroyed and the sanitary condition of the locality is improved. 

Holi is festival of colours  and is  the occasion to witness the change in climate. we must know about safety during Holi.Make them understand the true spirit of the festival  as colors are a way to rejoice and appreciate the gift of love which we receive through friends and relatives. There are safe colors available and make sure kids do not smear the colors in the eyes or ingest the same.Here are a few tips and suggestion to make your holi safe and joyous.

1.  Play safe. Don't get to boisterous and do not let others to be rude on you.
2. The best option would be to play with natural home made colours. Your skin and hair will feel tampered with the use of skin friendly natural products.
3. If natural colours are not possible, then ensure a better quality of colours. Buy colours from a reputed shop or vendor.
4. Use more of red or pink colours which looks good and can easily taken off. Gaudy purple, green, yellow, orange have more harmful chemicals in them and should be avoided.
5. Make sure that your face is well creamed before and after the play.
6. Apply thick coating of paint on your nails- both in fingers and toes so that they remain protected.
7. Oil your hair well, so that colour doesn't stick on your hair and can be washed off easily later.
8. Cover your hair. Make use of hat or caps to protect your hair from being coloured with hard-to-rinse dyes.
9. Make sure that powder or any other product does not get inside your eyes. Eyes are extremely vulnerable on Holi because of their strategic place in body and also because of the use of harmful chemicals in colors these days. Please ensure that your eyes remain protected at all times. Use a sunglass to protect your eyes from a misfire of colour filled darts or water jets.
10. Use dental caps to save your teeth from any unwanted stains.
11. Put on your worst clothes so that you won't have to take on the hassles of an immediate washing.
12. Rags like tattered denims and bright shades like black, blue, green, purple are highly recommended.
13. Try to save yourself off from all possible attacks on the face. In case your such attempts fail, keep your eyes and lips tightly shut if you are attacked on your face.
14. If possible avoid going outside your home, atleast for the peak hours of celebration. The premises of your home ensure that you are safe from pouncing hooligans, even friends who can be a little rough on the day.
15. When traveling keep the car windows thoroughly shut, even if you don't have an AC car. Do not bump into the frenzied group of mob if you take to streets. Better you cross the road to the sidewalk across. Or, simply stay at a safe distance.
16. Do not use permanent dyes. If someone has applied it on you, do not rub the face with soap immediately in order to get rid off it, especially when it is wet. Instead, use good quality cleansing milk for removal. It's better than using soap, which will dry up your skin.
17. Rotten eggs when thrown on your head, flying missiles from locality buildings…are still not too bad, will be smelly yet is a good conditioner for your hair. But tar, shit, Mobil, stones and all the rubbish that you can be hit with is not. Avoid being a prey to hooligans.
18. Remember you also have police on your side and if any untoward revelers misbehave, you can make your complaint. Mark out the locality, building and if possible the person.
19. Take a bath much later after the entire Holi celebration is over. Taking frequent baths, washing the face again and again, will ruin your skin. You will also lose hair, for too much soap/shampoo has a drying effect.
20. If you are prone to skin allergies, avoid playing with gulal altogether. Going to a dermatologist (skin specialist) serves no purpose, after the damage is done.
21. Avoid running on jumping on wet floors, so that you don't slip and injure yourself. Bones are specially vulnerable on this day.
22. Avoid over indulgence in bhang, drinks or food... so that you don't repent later.
23. Do not drive if you are high on alcohol or bhang.
24. Keep handy pain killers, anti-oxidants, anti-allergic tablets if all the above tips have been disregarded.

Happy Holiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii