The Holi Festival is one of the most important and interesting festivals of Hindus. It comes in the Hindi month of Fagun. All persons young and old, men and women, boys and girls look forward to this day with great joy.
There is a story about the origin of this festival Prahlad was a devotee of Vishnu. His father Hiranyakashyap, hated Vishnu.
He wanted to punish his son for chanting the name of Vishnu. He tried many ways to kill him but all failed.
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Hiranyakashyap was determined to kill him. In the end he asked his sister, Holika to enter the fire with Prahlad.
Her body was fire proof. Fortunately, Prahlad came out of the fire safe but his paternal aunt (Holika) was burnt to death. So this festival is celebrated in honour of this event.
It is also said that Holi is the beginning of the harvest season. The harvest is ready and the hearts of the farmers are full of joy.
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So new ears of corns are roasted on the Holi fire and distributed among friends and relations as prasad with embraces.
On the festival night a huge fire is made. Heaps of wood, dung, thorns and other things are collected and burnt.
Great preparations are made for this fire. Mischievous people carry away cots, furniture and thatches of other people and put them in the fire secretly.
On the Holi day many kinds of sweets and other fine things are made by women in their houses. The most important thing is goonjhia which is made even in the poorest family. Sweets are bought from the market also.
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In the morning after the burning of the Holi people become wild with joy. They make coloured water and throw it on the passers-by People go to the houses of their friends and relations.
Coloured powder is rubbed on the faces on this day. Everyone looks coloured and funny on this day. Some people go in parties to their friends and relations with music and singing on the way.
They are given sweets and betel some give sweet Bhang Sharbat. Some people throw mud and dirty water on one another. This is a very bad practice.
These things show that there is great joy on this festival. But it is not celebrated in a civilized way.
People of other countries laugh at us for our foolish and wild manner. Now we are free. Let us behave like civilized people.