Holi is one of the most awaited and fun filled amongst the Indian festivals. Gulaal, abeer, pichkaris, Holi is a festival suffusing happiness and harmony in the atmosphere. Smearing colors on people around is an act synonymous with spreading love. This festival brings together people from all walks of life, caste and creed alike. Imagine the fun the moment engulfs when we splash on colors on those unwilling to play? And in that ensuing battle of who will color who first, everyone is eventually drowned in the pure colors of love and unity. That’s the kind of unadulterated joy that should always bind together the people of our society. Breaking all boundaries, Holi in a very harmless and fun way is a bridging gap between the communal discord.
HOLI LEGENDS
We all have grown up reading the tale of Prahlad and Hirnaykashyap, who proclaimed himself a God and forced people to worship him. His son, Prahlad began to worship, Lord Vishnu. To punish his son, Hiranyakshyap asked his sister, Holika to enter a blazing fire with Prahlad in her lap, as she had a boon to enter fire unscathed. Out of his sheer devotion for the God, Lord Vishnu saved Prahlad and Holika burnt to death instead. The tradition of burning Holika or the 'Holika dahan' comes mainly from this legend.
Another frolic tale is that of Krishna who as a playful prank would play Holi with Radha and his many Gopis. In South India, people largely celebrate this festival to mark the sacrifice of Kaamdev who woke up Lord Shiva from his deep meditation to save the world from the demons.
Holi also marks the onset of harvesting festival in India and this gives them an occasion for merrymaking.
HOLI ACROSS INDIA
Temples of Lord Krishna across the country are beautifully decorated with flowers on this day. On the eve of Phalgun Poornima, people gather and light a bonfire and throw in grains from fresh harvest and unwanted wood leaves. People savour the sweet delicacy Gujiya and dance their heart out to the reverberating Bollywood Holi songs played in their societies amidst shots of thandai and the boisterous mood, drenching each other in colored water.
Holi in Assam is known as Phagwah and is a three-five days affair celebrated with full zest. In West Bengal, Holi is celebrated as Basant Utsav, the tradition being introduced by Rabrindranath Tagore. Here, Holi is also known as Dol Jatra and Dol Purnima. In Bihar, people sing folk lore and dance to the beats of dhol. Holi in Haryana is celebrated with full fanfare as Dulandi Holi.
In Himachal Pradesh, people collect in large numbers on the banks of Yamuna to seek divine blessings. In the interior parts, people celebrate Kullu-Holi wherein they mix snow with colors.
People in Jharkhand celebrate this festival in an invigorating way with mud and colors.
GROOVING TO THE HOLI PARTY
Holi parties have become an elaborate affair these days. From peppy Bollywood and remix music to colored water fountains, huge pools of colored water, all sorts of pichkaris and mouth-watering edibles, these parties are charged with energy and exhilaration. There are of course the traditional gujiyas, thandai and other mithai too. The Holi parties of Delhi and Mumbai in particular are to look out for. People play Holi like there’s no tomorrow. The best part, people from all religions come together as one putting aside any tension or animosity among them.
HOLI HACKS
So while you prep for that Holi party in your neighbourhood, here are some very helpful skin care and hair care tips. Make sure you follow these so that your skin enjoys playing Holi as much as you!
Pre-Holi
Apply regular coconut oil or almond oil all over your body a little before you set out to play Holi. Oil your hair generously as this will retain sufficient moisture and the colors won’t stick on your scalp. Wear full sleeves clothes so that the colors don’t permeate and settle in your skin much. And make sure to cut your nails- these colors can enter your digestive system through your nails as you eat.
Post-Holi
Dust off all the dry colors off your skin and hair and then cleans off the stubborn colors with cleansing milk. A homemade mask of gram flour, rose water, turmeric and curd is excellent to get rid of the colors from your skin. Wash your hair thoroughly with ample amount of shampoo and then apply conditioner. In case you’ve colors on your nails that refuse to go, use a nailpaint remover and then dab aloe vera gel over them.
Also, avoid any kind of spa or salon treatment for a few says post Holi- open pores will permeate any remnant of colors through your skin.
Most important- apply and urge others to apply only organic and herbal colors.
Peachmode wishes you all a very fun filled, vibrant and exuberant Holi. And to keep you basking in the colors of Holi the whole week, here’s our specially curated Holi collection and listing few of our style picks for you!
