HOLI

Holi festival of colours 

Holi  spreads a bright carpet of amazing colours and symbolizes the victory of good over the evil. 
The story behind this festival goes back during the era of king, .during the reign of king Hiranyakashyap. He used to torture his son Prahlad as he was a true devotee of lord Vishnu instead of his father. His all methods went vein to kill his son. Then Hiranyakashyap asked his sister Holika to take Prahlad in her laps and sit in a burning fire.

Holika had boon that she wouldn't burn in fire. She did as her brother said but instead of Prahlad,  holika was burned to death/ashes. That is the reason on first day of holi in the evening a huge fire is lit with dry leaves sticks woodon logs etc. And from children to adults offer pradakshina (rounds) to the fire and pray that their sins should be burned away with Holika. On this auspicious day sweet chappati is prepared from gram flour and jaggery known as "Puran polis"! The puran poli and a coconut is offered in the Holika. Then arrives the second day which is"Dhuleti". 
On this day from morning people start colouring each other with various colours.! Till mid aftrernoon colourfull faces are observed everywhere. Children eagerly wait for this day. They start making water balloons buy pichkaris i.e water guns water bags and lot of different lively colors  Red blue green yellow magenta purple black orange etc all colours are seen splashed all around seems as if a beautiful bright coloured carpet is spread out. Children enjoy throwing water balloons from the building terraces which amazes them but is proved harmful for the passerby ! Every colour has its own uniqueness and  this festival of holi gives us a glimpse of all the colours which is a pleasure for vision. It is a festival o f  joy masti exitement and colour. If taken a wrong path this holi may prove a bad one. So everyone must play and enjoy holi safely...!! Soo have a great funnn this holi....HAPPPY HOLI!!!!

arya salgaonkar