The well-known Hindu festival of Holi carries a great deal of religious significance. Hindus widely commemorate the social, religious, and cultural festival of Holi. Holi heralds the end of winter and the beginning of the joyous days of spring. The lives of people become more colourful, vibrant, and joyous as the seasons change. Let’s keep prepared for the festivities by being aware of the day, time, and Holi pooja procedures of this lovely event as friends and family get ready to celebrate the joyful festival colourfully and delightfully.
Holi, often known as the festival of colours, falls on March 8, 2023, and will be celebrated nationwide on this day. In terms of auspicious timing, Holika Dahan is performed the day before Chhoti Holi or one day before Holi. When the moon is fully visible, Holika Dahan is complete. A village or town’s whole household population gathers for the major rite known as Holika Dahan in a public space. Holika Dahan needs to be prepared well in advance, ideally a few days before Holi, to ensure there are no last-minute rushes or delays.
- Take a bath before Holika Dahan, then proceed to the Holika’s location with the appropriate offerings. Face either the north or the east as you sit.
- Create Prahlad and Holika idols. According to tradition, the idols of Holika and Prahlad are made of flammable and non-combustible materials, respectively.
- The firewood and other combustible items are piled around the idols, which are assembled inside the pyre.
- Go around the pyre seven times and do pooja and prayers to Lord Narasimha at Holika Dahan.
- Throw flowers, cotton, jaggery, moong, turmeric, coconut, gulal, batasha, seven different varieties of cereals, and other crops into the fire as offerings as you go around circling the blazing pyre.
- Pray for your loved ones, your friends, and everyone in the world. Dance around the pyre while everyone sings and dances along to the traditional Holika Dahan melodies.
- According to common belief, your prayers during this time would be divinely answered if you sacrifice your bad traits at the Holika Dahan fire symbolically.
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History of Holi
Holi has its roots in Hindu mythology. Some people think that Holi’s original purpose was to mark the beginning of spring by holding a fertility festival. Some contend that it served as a tribute and celebration of the triumph of good over evil. Regardless of where it came from and where the roots of this festival emerged, Hindus around the world now regard Holi as a sacred tradition.
In many cultures, the festival of Holi is tied to the Hiranyakashipu and Holika mythology. In ancient India, the demon ruler Hiranyakashipu wanted to kill his son Prahlada, a devout follower of Lord Vishnu, with the help of his sister Holika. Holika sat on a pyre with him, wearing a cloak that was supposed to shield her from the fire, and tried to burn Prahlada. Holika perished in the flames but Prahlada was shielded by the cloak. Later that evening, Lord Vishnu killed Hiranyakashipu, and the incident was celebrated as the victory of good over evil. In several regions of India, people burn a hefty fire to commemorate the celebration the night before Holi.
The blaze is viewed as a reminder that truth and virtue will always prevail in the end and a symbol of good over evil.
Holi significance
This festival of colours is held after Basant Panchami to usher in the official start of spring. It represents the fact that spring has finally come to spread love and new life after a long, harsh winter. The festival spreads a message of mutual love, solidarity, integration, and strength. This occasion is like different colours blending into one, regardless of caste, race, creed, or religion. Holika Dahan will be observed this year on March 7, 2023. The Holi pooja shubh muhurat begins at 6:24 PM and lasts until 8:51 PM.
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Holi pooja and celebrations
Several procedures are used in different traditions for Holi pooja. The most typical custom is to place Radha and Krishna’s idols on the altar, dress them in beautiful clothes and jewellery, and perform pooja on them while making various delectable offerings. Around the altar, the entire family is gathered, chanting the names of Krishna and Radha and offering up prayers for everyone’s well-being.
Sweets and other foods are given out to the assembled members after the pooja. Holi is when the festival of colours takes place and people douse one another in coloured paint and water. Buy only eco-friendly colours to make sure the ones you paint are safe. Celebrate Holi with everyone and make a prayer for world peace, prosperity, and blessings.
Items needed for Holi pooja (Pooja Samagri)
- Radha and Krishna idols
- Flowers
- One bowl of water
- Roli
- Unbroken rice
- Aromas like Agarbatti and Dhoop
- Flowers
- Raw cotton thread
- Turmeric chunks, unbroken Moong lentil, Batasha and coconut
- Colours- Abeer or Gulal powder
- Ghee of cow milk, earthen lamp, cotton wicks, Gangajal
- Homemade sweets and fruits
- Bell, incense sticks, and scented water
- Tulsi leaves and sandalwood paste (Chandan)
Household Holi pooja vidhi
- Take a bath, put on clean clothing, and visit your home temple in the morning.
- While facing east, keep the Radha Krishna idol on the blooms of a clean red cloth.
- To perform pooja, one should set up the altar and cover Radha Krishna’s lotus feet with gulal.
- Apply sandalwood paste and offer the gods and goddesses incense sticks, earthen lamps, and tulsi.
- After that, give out sweets and then Gangajal.
- After giving the offerings to the god, join both hands and move in a circle.
- After the pooja is finished, everyone should be sprinkled with Gangajal, apply gulal on their faces, and receive Prasad as a blessing and a token of gratitude.
Science behind Holi
- The moods and emotions of people are influenced by senses that the mind can discern. A person’s mood and attitude can be drastically altered by colours, both subtly and overtly. When it comes to treating emotional issues and providing mental relief, colour therapy has made a notable difference.
- As a result, each colour has a unique effect on mood, and the Dhulandi Colors used are composed of natural ingredients like turmeric and fragrant floral extract. Nowadays, synthetic chemicals have taken the place of these colours.
- According to Ayurveda, natural colours are great for skin and other healing, but this has significantly changed since the discovery of synthetic colours. Owing to this celebration, the uplifting power of colour and its spiritual effect have been lost.
- Holi is primarily played with four symbolic colours, though there is now a wide range of colours on the market, like the colours blue, red, yellow, and green, which, respectively, stand for love, peace, happiness, and joy.
FAQs
Why is Holi pooja done on Holi?
Holi is one of the most celebrated Hindu festivals and an old Hindu custom in Hindu mythology. Holi pooja is done to honour the triumph of the Hindu deity Vishnu, also known as Narasimha Narayana, over Hiranyakashipu. The day also represents the victory of good over evil.
What samagris do you need for Holi pooja?
One bowl of water, Roli, unbroken rice (also known as Akshat in Sanskrit), aromas like Agarbatti and Dhoop, flowers, raw cotton thread, turmeric chunks, unbroken Moong lentil, Batasha, Gulal powder, and coconut are among the Samagri or ingredients that should be used during Pooja. Moreover, the Pooja items may contain fully grown grains of recently cultivated crops like wheat and gram.
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