Holi is a spring festival also known as the festivals of colors. Holi is celebrated with great enthusiasm and gaiety.
Holi is the festival of victory of good over evil brought about by the burning and destruction of demon named Holika. There are various legends to explain the meaning of Holi the most prominent of all is the legend associated with demon king Hiranyakashyap. Holika the sister of demon – king Hiranyakashyap. He wanted everyone in his kingdom to worship only him but to his great disappointment, his son, Prahalad became an ardent devotee of Lord Narayana. So he punished his son, Prahalad in a variety of ways to denounce Lord Narayana, but failed in all his attempts. Finally, he asked his sister Holika to take Prahalad in her lap and enter a blazing fire. Holika had a boon to remain unburnt 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 Prahalad came out unharmed. The defeat of Holika signifies the burning of all that is bad. After this Lord Vishnu killed Hiranyakashyap. But it is actually the death of Holika that is associated with Holi. Because of this in some states of India a pyre in the form of a bonfire is lit on the day before Holi to remember the death of evil (Holika).
It is also believed that Lord Krishna (reincarnation of Lord Vishnu) used to celebrate Holi with colors and play Holi with his friends and gopiya at Vrindavan and Gokul.
Holi is played by all irrespective of age, gender, caste, religion, social and economic inequalities. It`s a fun filled festival were everyone is playing with colors, pichkaris, buckets, sprinklers and splashing in the water which is the true spirit of the festival.
Some of the Holi Recipes are:
WISHING YOU ALL A HAPPY HOLI