Happy Holi – Shubh Holi 2014
Happy & Shubh Holi to all celebrating! Holi is the celebration of colours followed mainly in India by Hindus, along with a presence in Europe and North America. Holi is being celebrated on March 16th in 2014 everywhere by Hindus and Non-Hindus. Holi is one of the biggest celebrations for the Indian diaspora and inside India. According to the Hindu calendar, Holi is celebrated on the full moon day in the month of Phalgun. Friends and families celebrate Holi by painting each other with water and coloured powder. This is the reason Holi is often referred as the ‘festival of colours’.
Holika Dahan is being celebrated on the eve of Holi. The tradition behind the holika dahan is, demon King Hiranyakashyap asked his sister Holika to enter a blazing fire with Prahlad in her lap but Prahlad was saved by lord himself for his extreme devotion and evil minded Holika was burnt to ashes. People gather at streets, colonies, crossroads and light huge bonfires.
Many Hindus living in Muslim-majority or Islamic nations have called the ‘festival of colours’ as the ‘festival of fear’ as they refrain from celebrating Holi in public fearing violence by muslims extremists. On the night before Holi on March 15th 2014, a popular Hindu temple and houses of local Hindu residents in Pakistan were destroyed with fire by a large mob of 200+ Muslims that were against the Hindu celebration. The Daily Times published an article called the ‘Festival of colours or fear?’ highlighting the grave situation of Hindus in Pakistan and how they cannot celebrate Holi among other major hindu religious festivals.
We wish everyone a Safe and Happy / Shubh Holi as well as our prayers for Hindus living in fear during Holi due to religious bigots. Please keep the world full of colour. Here is a popular Holi song:
Every year my university holds a Holi event on the quad. It’s so much fun! (And the dye stians so we always get tie-dye t-shirts out of the bargain!)