Rang Barse

Thursday, March 31, 2005 | 3 comments

by

Shounak Krishnanand

Holi, the festival of colours, like many Indian festivals, commemorates the victory of good over evil. It is celebrated on the day after full moon night in the Hindu Calendar month of Phalguna which usually falls in March. The origins of Holi lie in a mythological story of a demon King Hiranyakashyapu whose son, Prahlad worships Lord Vishnu. In order to kill Prahlad, he orders his sister, Holika, who was said to be immune from fire to sit with Prahlad in a fire but Prahlad comes out unscathed and Holika gets burnt to ashes. A bonfire is lit on the full moon night to commemorate this and to symbolize the death of evil spirits and warmth of spring banishing the winter.

Rang Panchami is celebrated on the next day. The throwing of colours also symbolizes the love of Lord Krishna for Radha. This exuberant festival represents the onset of life and vitality. In some places in India, it is marked by vibrant processions, folk dances and a sense of abandonment.

Welcome to Holi in Spanish Fork, Utah!





The fire devoured the papier-mache Holika; the flames rose heavenwards as if asking for more. 1500 people, around 1350 of them caucasians, drunk on a live band chanting Hare Rama Hare Krishna instead of the traditional bhang, dispatched some of the powdered colour that in total accounted for 1200 packets onto each other and into the air; the low flung sun making it seem hazy and colourful as it should be. It might have been almost any other place in India; the ISKON temple and the dancing peacock (Lord Krishna wore a peacock feather in his crown) providing an apt backdrop.




Although, the setting might have been as any in India, large crowd cramped on the small grounds, the intangible indianness was missing. Sure, people were colouring total strangers but there was nothing personal about it. The warm hugs of estranged friends were conspicuous by their absence and nor were the applying of colours preceded by cries of Holi Hai!!. Holi is nothing if not a renewal of spirit. Isn’t this what is celebrated in India today? I do not remember having anything on my mind other than throwing a water balloon on that guy walking on the street from the safety of my third storey home and clapping gleefully as it hit his head. If this is the essence of Holi, I think these people atleast felt it if not understood it. I wonder if some people in Mumbai have forgotten it!



Most of the people there had not come to worship. Some had come to get a taste of a different culture, a different philosophy to life, maybe even looking for some inspiration. Some had merely come to have fun. But sometimes all it takes is couple of hours of lost inhibitions to rejuvenate yourself. Maybe some of them did just that or maybe they didn’t. I had fun and they did too. That’s a start anyway.

Thursday, March 31, 2005 | permalink | 3 comments

_______________________________________