485 words short essay on the festival of Holi. Holi is an important festival of the Hindus. It is celebrated all over the country. It is a festival of colours and fun. It falls in the month of March. Holi marks the advent of spring and the end of winter.
Like many Indian festivals, Holi has its origin in ancient mythological story. Once there was a young prince named Prahalad. He was the son of demon king Hiranayakashyap. He was very cruel. His subjects were terror-stricken due to his cruelties. He asked his subjects to worship him instead of God. His son Prahalad was a great worshipper of Lord Vishnu. His father, the demon king did not like this. He revolted against his father’s order. Holika, the king’s sister had a blessing that she could not be burnt in fire. So the king asked his sister to burn Prahalad. So, she took Prahalad in her lap and sat in fire. The fire burned Holika but Prahalad escaped unhurt. Hiranayakashyap was tore into pieces by Lord Vishnu. This festival is celebrated to mark the victory of good over evil. Prahalad was the symbol of good while Hiranayakashyap was an embodiment of evil.
Holi also marks the beginning of harvest season. So new ears of corns are roasted in the fire and distributed among friends and relatives. A night before Holi, a big bonfire is lit. Women offer prayers and sweets in the fire. People pray for a healthy and peaceful year. On the Holi day people smear ashes of this fire on their foreheads to pay respect for the fire. Then they start the colourful Holi. They move house to house and smear gulal on one another. They splash colour water to each other. Children make great fun. They play pranks and pour colour on everybody. They fill coloured water in balloons and syringes and splash on the passers-by. Everything is drenched in colour.
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People play and dance with joy. They beat drum and sing and dance in groups. They move street to street. They meet and greet each other in the evening. Gujias, a special recipe, is served to all the visitors and guests. There is a ritual to mix bhang, a type of plant paste, in sweet drinks. Its drink causes merriment. But the dark side of the festival is that many people misbehave with women and others in the guise of playing pranks. Sometimes such incidences take serious turn. There are incidences of violence and killings. Also, people use chemicals, muddy flush and paints on one another. It causes skin problems and eye troubles to many people. Many people have to lose their eyesight for ever.
Holi gives us the message to do well in life. It teaches us to live in peace. So, we should not spoil the spirit of the Holi. We should avoid the evil practices associated with Holi. Only then the sanctity of the festival can be maintained.