Spectators around the world on Friday celebrated Holi, the springtime Festival of Colors with Hindu origins, which marks the season’s appearance and good’s triumph over wrong.
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| Holi photo |
Holi is named after Holika, the demoness aunt of a king’s perfidious son in one of the jubilee’s source myths, according toholifestival.org. In that story, King Hiranyakshyap grows frustrated and jealous enough at his son’s deification of Lord Naarayana that the king asks his family Holika to sit in a fire with his son, Prahlad, in her stage.
Holika does so and burns to death while Prahlad — who chants the name of Lord Naarayana — emerges unharmed as Naarayana’s price for his unyielding devotion. Effigies of Holika burnt throughout the vacation reference this myth.
Holi 2022: How and why it’s celebrated, plus events to attend in the Triangle
Holi, also known as the festival of colors, is a holiday commonly celebrated by gathering and throwing colored powder, or “Gulal.” This year, Holi (pronounced “ho-LEE”) falls on Friday, March 18. Here’s what to know about the holiday: WHAT IS HOLI? Holi is a Hindu tradition “that celebrates love, community and the arrival of spring,” according to a webpage for UNC-Chapel Hill’s Holi Moli, a student-run event to celebrate the festival of colors. The holiday is celebrated worldwide by Hindus and non-Hindus. The celebration unites communities that are divided by cultural, social and religious barriers, according to Holi Moli. $2 for 2 months Subscribe for unlimited access to our website, app, eEdition and more
CLAIM OFFER The word “Holi” derives from the legend of Prahlad and Holika, who was the sister of a demon king, says HoliFestival.org. Holi celebrates the triumph of good over evil, which we see in this legend when Holika dies by fire and Lord Naarayana (a different form of Lord Vishnu) remains. To read about the mythological significance of Holi,
visit holifestival.org/significance-of-holi.html. Throughout India, people recreate the scene of Holika’s burning, marking the victory of good over evil, HoliFestival.org says. Sometimes, huge bonfires are lit, and effigies of Holika are burned in celebration.
WHEN IS HOLI?
Historically, Holi has been celebrated to begin the crop season, according to Holi Moli. The vacation generally falls in the month of March. Last time, the vacation fell on Monday, March 29, 2021. This time, the vacation falls on Friday, March 18.
HOLI Fests IN NC ▪ The Hindu Society of North Carolina’s Holi festivity will take place in Morrisville on Saturday, March 19 from 11a.m. to 7p.m. Infohsnctemple.org/events-list. ▪ Duke University’s Hindu Student Association and Duke Diya will host a Holi festivity on Saturday, March 19, on Abele Quad from 2-4p.m. They promise “ tons of multicolored greasepaint to throw around and the stylish Bollywood playlist!”
Infoinstagram.com/duke_hsa ▪ UNC’s Holi Moli festivity will take place on Saturday, April 23 from 3p.m. to 5p.m. Infouncholimoli.com. This story was firstly published