There is a widely-celebrated festival in South Asia called
Holi, or the Festival of Colors. This festival is known as a celebration of
love and serves to usher in Spring but the roots of the holiday grow from a story
in the Hindu religion about Prahlada, the son of a demon king. Apparently, Prahlada’s father (Hiranyakashipu) had a bit of an ego problem, demanding that
everyone worship him alone. Prahlada,
however, was an avid follower of the Hindu religion’s god, Vishnu, and he
refused to worship his father. Enraged, Hiranyakashipu tried multiple times to kill his son, but with no success. Hiranyakashipu’s final defeat came when he Prahlada tied to a pyre and set the whole
thing on fire. According to the Hindu religion, Prahlada prayed to Vishnu for
protection and he walked away unharmed. (What a father-son dynamic.)
Today, Holi is celebrated in varying ways according to the region in which it is being observed. For some, the festival marks a time of throwing tomatoes on family, friends, and strangers alike. For others, it translates to a week of singing and dancing in the streets. Some parts of the world celebrate Holi on one day and others celebrate for a month.
My introduction to Holi came in the form of a water balloon aimed right at my face. As I stood, dripping in the park outside my office on a lunch break, my coworkers breathlessly explained (through doubled-over laughter) that in the city where I live, Holi is celebrated by throwing colors at others. Originally, people threw colored powder at each other but the colored water balloon method seems to have caught on. The culprit in this case was a school-aged boy repeatedly throwing balloons from his third story balcony across the street. I must admit, he has impeccable aim.
Holi isn’t until March 27th but there are obviously some who cannot wait to pelt passers-by. Honestly, I don’t blame them. Holi is like Halloween for all ages- but it encourages people in the community to “let go” and play in a way that Halloween only hints at. Here is Google Image Search’s depiction of Holi:
Today, Holi is celebrated in varying ways according to the region in which it is being observed. For some, the festival marks a time of throwing tomatoes on family, friends, and strangers alike. For others, it translates to a week of singing and dancing in the streets. Some parts of the world celebrate Holi on one day and others celebrate for a month.
My introduction to Holi came in the form of a water balloon aimed right at my face. As I stood, dripping in the park outside my office on a lunch break, my coworkers breathlessly explained (through doubled-over laughter) that in the city where I live, Holi is celebrated by throwing colors at others. Originally, people threw colored powder at each other but the colored water balloon method seems to have caught on. The culprit in this case was a school-aged boy repeatedly throwing balloons from his third story balcony across the street. I must admit, he has impeccable aim.
Holi isn’t until March 27th but there are obviously some who cannot wait to pelt passers-by. Honestly, I don’t blame them. Holi is like Halloween for all ages- but it encourages people in the community to “let go” and play in a way that Halloween only hints at. Here is Google Image Search’s depiction of Holi:
My [pasty] skin makes me a walking canvas (and therefore a
prime target) for all of the inevitable reds and blues that will be flying
around in the next couple weeks. I have been warned to watch where I walk.
Listening to one of my co-workers excitedly discussing Holi street-walking
strategies reminds me of watching freshman guys at my undergraduate school
prepare for Nerf wars in their dorms. I have been invited to a Holi party on
the 27th so I’ll make sure to report back.
Sincerely,
Alice
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