Holika Dahan and Holi, the festival of colors and rituals. The festival is celebrated on the last day of the winter season. According to the Hindu calendar, Holika Dahan is celebrated on the last full moon day of Phalgun month while Holi is celebrated on the first day of Chaitra month. Holika Dahan celebrated the winning of truth over evil.

WHY IS IT CONSIDERED AS THE VICTORY OF TRUTH?

Prahlad was the first child of Hiranyakashyap (the demon king of the asuras), he was a pure devotee of Lord Vishnu. His father tried to stop him from worshiping Vishnu because Hiranyakashipu was trying to take revenge on Lord Vishnu who killed his elder brother Hiranyaksh.

Despite his father’s disapproval, Prahlad became a devotee of Narayana and also took knowledge from Narada Muni. Hiranyakashyap tried many times to kill his son but Lord Narayan himself saved him.

Holika was the sister of Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyaksha and the aunt of Prahlad. She had a boon from Lord Shiva that she would not die in the fire. Lord Shiva gave him a sheet (Chadar) that protected her when she went into the fire. While going into the fire, she used to cover her body with a sheet and she was saved.

According to the Vishnu Purana, Holika offered help to Hiranyakasipu that she would take Prahlad with her into the fire and Prahlad would die and she would be saved.

When she takes Prahlad to the fire, Prahlad sits on his aunt’s lap. However, Prahlad chants the name of Lord Vishu and Survived but Holika devi died. This incident became the victory of truth over evil and every year we celebrate this day named Holika Dahan.

According to legend, Prahlad and Holika went into the fire on the orders of Hiranyakashyap. Where Holika covered herself with a sheet but due to wind the sheet moved from Holika to Prahlad’s body, and Holika died in the fire and Prahlad was saved.

HOW WE CELBRATES HOLIKA DAHAN?

• Woods, cow dunk, dry leaves, and some fireable garbage that we used to put fire in Holika Dahan. These things are put in tall order in open fields or ground to burn in specific muhurat.
• Put a betel nut, 11 grains of unrefined sugar, and 21 grains of unbroke rice in a Peepal leaf and leave it on fire along with the family. This help protects the family from evil and protects you from illness.
• While chanting the Holika Dahan Mantra, circumambulating Holika 3, 5, or 7 times with a vessel of water in your hand brings prosperity to your life.

MANTRA FOR HOLIKA DAHAN

• अहकूता भयत्रस्तै: क्रिता त्वं होली बालिशैः आत्स्वां पूजयिश्यामि भूति-भूति प्रदादिनिम्ः

Chant this mantra while circumambulating the fire of Holika in Holika Dahan. This increases happiness and prosperity in your family and also protects you from diseases. Raw mangoes, coconut, wheat, barley, and gram are put in the fire while circumambulating Holika Dahan

• ॐ ह्रीं ह्रीं ह्रीं श्रीमेव कुरु-कुरु कृतनेव ह्रीं ह्रीं नमः

This mantra helps you to grow in business and brings prosperity in business. Chant this mantra 108 times while watching Holika Dahan.

• गुरु ग्रह गए पढ़न रघुराई। अल्प काल विद्या सब पाई

According to Puranas, this mantra helps you to grow in education and success as well. Chant this mantra 108 times during Holika Dahan.

DO’S & DONT’S IN HOLIKA DAHAN

• According to Drik Panchang or Dainik Panchang (a Hindu calendar), we have to light a Holika fire at the right Muhurta. Whatever we celebrate, it is necessary to do it in the right Muhurta, when it comes to Holika, if we do not do so, we have to suffer and misfortune can come.
• Groundnut, sesame, dry coconut, wheat and gram, rye, and sugar are some nutrients foods that we have to out in fire with cow dung, this helps you to clear all the negative energy around you.
• Lending money during Holika Dahan’s day is considered as auspicious as according to the Puranas lending money will affect your Fianace life. As you may face financial problems in the upcoming days.
• Ingredients for the Puja of Holika Dahan: – According to the Drik Panchang, Roli, rice(which are not broken), Cow dung, agarbatti, dhoop, cotton thread, Moong Batasha, Coconut, and some dry fruits that we have to palace in Puja’s plate.
• Some ash from the bonfire of Holika Dahan you can collect and smear on the boy. It considers holy in Drik Panchang, it states that the ash of Holika Dahan purifies your body and soul.
• A ghee lamp light on your home and putting it in the northern direction brings prosperity to your house.
• If possible, be on Fasting till the Holika Pujan, and eat only dry fruits. 
• The Place where you want to burn Holika, clean it and pour some Ganga jal and then put cow dung thereafter that you can arrange all the material you have collected for the Holika.
• While performing the Holika Pujan, you have to avoid wearing white and yellow dresses.
• Tie your hair, don’t leave it open during Holika Dahan and Holika Pujan.

HOLI

Holi is celebrated at the arrival of the Spring Season. It depicts the holy love of Radha Krishna. Apart from that it celebrates the victory of truth over evil because Lord Vishnu killed Hirankashyap. From India to other parts of Asia and in many western countries, Holi is celebrated.

Holi is known as the Festival of colors. It comes with happiness and revives the broken relationship. The festival of play and laughing, end the evil inside of yourself and encourages us to fill our lives with the color of happiness. 

FESTIVAL OF LOVE

As Holi is celebrated for the divine love of Radha Krishna, it has a very pure reason behind it. Lord Krishna was not as fair-skinned as Radha, he had dark skin whereas Radha was fair-skinned. Lord Krishna’s mother, Yashoda was tired and disheartened by her son’s immense love for Radha.

So, She told Lord Krishna that he approach Radha to put color on his face. Radha did this, and after that, they became a couple. This story proves true love and Holi is celebrated to show love for your family, friends, and enemy as well by putting colors of love to each other.

VICTORY OF TRUTH

As Holika Dahan is celebrated as the victory of truth over evil because Holika (sister of Hirankashyap) died in Fire while trying to kill Prahlad (a pure devotee of Vishnu). 

Apart from the symbol of Love Holi is also celebrated as the victory of truth and the main reason behind is that: -Hirankashipu who was the king of asura had earned a special boon that included five superpowers. He could not be killed by a human being or by any animal whether he was on land or water. No chances of dying Day or night and by any weapons.

These superpowers borns ego in him as he was consider himself a God. he wants that everybody worship only him. His own son Prahald worships Narayana, it was not acceptable to Hirankashyam, so he tried to kill her son by cheating, in this process he lost his sister Holika but Prahald survived.

To save the universe from the evil Hirankashyam Lord Vishnu took the avatar of Narshimha. Narshimha is basically half human and half lion so it considers as not a human, not an animal. At the time of dusk whether it is not day or night, took HiranKashyap to his door, placed him on his lap (lap because it is not a land, not the earth), and killed the Hirankashyap with his lion claws (because it is not a weapon).

This incident is known as the victory of truth over evil as Lord Vishnu killed Hirankashyap and Prhald survived while Holika died.

STORY OF KAMA AND RATI

Another story of Love in our Hindu Religion when it comes to the festival of Holi. Maa Parvati was trying to bring back Lord Shiva into the world as Lord Shiva in deep meditation.

She visited the erotic God of love Kamdeva and seeks help. In order to help Kamdeva shoots an arrow to break his meditation but Lord shiva opened his third eye and burns Kama. Kamdevi, the wife of Kamdeva performs forty days of meditation as she was upset with the loss of Kamdeva. Lord Shiva understands this and restores the God of Love.  This story is acceptable in South India as it considers pure love.

Braj Region of Uttar Pradesh is very famous for Holi. Many peoples visit Braj for playing Holi. Apart from India people from Foreign country comes here to enjoy the color of Love. This festival is celebrated for approximately 7 days. It is named Braj Ki Holi and Latthamr Holi is another form of Holi which plays by people in Braj.

Holi, the festival of colors and joy brings happiness in life but many faces people face difficulties while playing Holi. Colors that fill the love in your life may harm as many duplicate colors available in the market. So, While playing Holi it is mandatory to play Holi with Safe colors.