Sunday reading:Bonfire (Holika Dahan)

 Sunday reading:Bonfire (Holika Dahan) 

Hello readers!

Here on my blog . This blog is related to the Bonfire (Holika Dahan) .

We can see the    Dilip Barad sir  post on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/533772471/posts/10159381704207472/?substory_index=2

Some questions  are: 

《1》 How many countries celebrate Bonfire ? Why? (If you can find reasons  ….are there common reasons?)

Answer : what is bonfire ? : Click here

Holi is not only celebrated in India, but in other parts of the world as well.Click here It is celebrated with much fanfare in countriesOutside India and Nepal, Holi is observed by the minority Hindus in Bangladesh and Pakistan as well in countries with large Indian subcontinent diaspora populations such as Suriname, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, South Africa, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, Mauritius, and Fiji. The Holi rituals and customs outside South Asia also vary with local adaptations.

☆ Holi in different parts of India: 

■ Assam:

Holi is known as PhakuWa/Doul or Doul Jatra in Assam. Here, the festivities span over two days. On the first day, the Assamese people burn clay huts to symbolise Holika Dahan and, on the next day, play with colours.

■Odisha:

In Odisha, Holi is referred to as Dola. On this day, devotees worship Lord Jagannath and apply abira (gulal) on each other.

■West Bengal: 

In West Bengal, Holi is celebrated on the Purnima Tithi and is known as Dol Purnima or Dol Jatra. People greet each other with abeer (gulal) and enjoy the festival while getting drenched in the colours of joy.

■Uttar Pradesh: 

The Braj Bhoomi (a place associated with Shri Krishna) is in Uttar Pradesh. Here, in the towns of Barsana and Nandagaon, people celebrate Lathmar Holi. Women from Barsana would hold bamboo or wooden sticks to beat men from Nandgaon, as they would use a shield to guard themselves. The natives follow the tradition that has been in practice since the times of Shri Krishna and Radha. In some parts of Uttar Pradesh, people also use flowers to celebrate Holi.

 

■Uttarakhand: 

Holi in this state is known as Baithaki Holi, Khari Holi or Mahila Holi. Men and women dressed in their traditional attire sing songs and take part in folk dance. And they also make use of natural colours to play Holi.

■ Bihar : 

Holi is known as Phaguwa in Bhojpuri. Here, on the first day (Purnima Tithi, people light the bonfire, and on the next day, celebrate Holi with colours.

Holi is celebrated with the same zest and enthusiasm in the other parts of Northern and Western India. The Indian states of Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh Chattisgarh and the Union Territory of Jammu Kashmir also celebrate the festival of colours.

《2》 What is the ritual  around  such celebrations ?

Answer:  

Holi rituals include  Holika Dahan. Hiranyakashipu's own son, Prahlada, however, disagreed. He was and remained devoted to Vishnu.This infuriated Hiranyakashipu. He subjected Prahlada to cruel punishments, none of which affected the boy or his resolve to do what he thought was right. Finally, Holika, Prahlada's evil aunt, tricked him into sitting on a pyre with her. Holika was wearing a cloak that made her immune to injury from fire, while Prahlada was not. As the fire roared, the cloak flew from Holika and encased Prahlada,survived while Holika burned. Vishnu, the god who appears as an avatar to restore Dharma in Hindu beliefs, took the form of Narasimha.

The Holika bonfire and Holi signifies the celebration of the symbolic victory of good over evil, of Prahlada overHiranyakashipu, and of the fire that burned Holika.

Festival of Colors.Religion, bonfires and an abundance of colored chalk.India's Holi Festival could just be one of the world's most beautiful celebrations. Holi is an ancient Hindu festival, originating from the Indian subcontinent. It is celebrated predominantly in India, but has also spread to other areas of Asia and parts of the Western world through the diaspora from the Indian subcontinent. Holi is popularly known as the Indian "festival of spring", the "festival of colours", or the "festival of love". The festival signifies the arrival of spring, the end of winter, the blossoming of love, and for many a festive day to meet others, play and laugh, forget and forgive, and repair broken relationships. The festival also celebrates the beginning of a good spring harvest season.

Rituals of Holi: Holi Puja, Holika Sthapana and Puja Procedure.

Rituals of the ancient festival of Holi are religiously followed every year with great enthusiasm and Safety. The Holi festival is an ancient Hindu festival with its cultural rituals. Apart from playing colors; Holika puja is a major attraction of Holi. Here complete details of Holika Sthapana and Puja Procedure.

 

《3》 Is there any story or myth around  those celebrations?  Write  about various  myths  around  bonfire.  Watch the video  linked here under  to know  about  the myths believed in by  vaishnavites and shaivites in India.  In which  myth do you  believe  more than the other  one.

Answer: I believe in legend. "Holika Dahan. "

Click here and watch this video

The word Holi derives its name from Holika. According to Hindu mythology, Holika was the sister of demon King Hiranyakashyapu.As per the legend, Prahlad, a staunch devotee of Lord Vishnu, Prahlad was born to Hiranyakashyapu. Prahlad’s devotion to lord Vishnu did not go down well with his father. As a result of this, Hiranyakashyapu tried to kill his son several times, but the Vishnu devotee escaped unhurt every time, frustrating the demon king.After numerous unsuccessful attempts, the demon king thought of taking help from his sister, Holika, who had a boon by Lord Brahma which said she would not be burnt in a fire.As per the myth, Holika had a shawl which would protect her from the flames of a fire. The demon king asked her sister to take Prahlad on her lap and set the two on fire. Prahlad kept chanting the name of Lord Vishnu and as the fire got intense, a gust of wind removed the shawl from Holika and went on to cover Prahlad, killing the enchantress in the flames.

Another myth says that Kansa, uncle of lord Krishna, feared that according to a prophecy, the evil king would be killed by his sister’s son Krishna. In order to protect himself from Krishna, Kansa sent Putna to kill his nephew, who was an infant. The plan was to poison him under the guise of breast-feeding. But what transpired was shocking for Putna. Krishna not only sucked her poisonous milk, but her blood too. Fearing for her life, she ran but burst into flames. 

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