Analysis of the Holi Festival
Purpose
The purpose of the Holi festival is not only to welcome the spring season, but also to unite and teach people that physical appearances are not everything. This is a moral learnt from the Legend of Krishna who speared his sisters’ face with colour after being displeased with his own physical appearance (click here to view the legend). The Holika and Prahlad mythology (click here for the legend), reminds people that good will overcome evil. The festival brings a sense of unity and oneness to the Hindu community. Disguised by splattered paint no one is recognisable therefore nobody knows which caste or class they belong to resulting in the equality of everyone in the community,rich or poor.
Symbols
There are several elements essential for the Holi. The most important are the bonfire, Holika and Prahlad monuments and the Gulal . Each of these symbols holds a special meaning which is unique to the Hindu faith. On Holika Dahan, Holika and Prahlad monuments can be sighted in the middle of a bonfire. With the burning of the bonfire, the combustible material covering Holika disintegrates into a pile of ashes whilst the non-combustible material covering the Prahlad idol “survives”. Holika is a symbol of evil and Prahlad is a symbol of good. The burning of of the Holika monument significantly represents the victory of good over evil. The colours splattered around on the day of the Holi are symbol of forgetting everybody’s difference and accepting ourselves (a moral learnt from the Krishna legend). Each colour also symbolises a force of life. For example white is a symbol of purity, red love and green a symbol of new beginnings and harvest.
Effect / Change
Following the festival participants feel refreshed and enlightened. The burning of the bonfire and the play of colours allows them to release any negativity and evil holding them back. The festival teaches and reminds the Hindu not to do evil and it brings their faith alive as it reminds them of their central belief, Karma and reincarnation. The Holi festival has a specific structure which can be displayed through the Lovat’s stages. The entry, preparation, climax, celebration and exit allow the Hindu to enjoy and value the experience.
Following the festival participants feel refreshed and enlightened. The burning of the bonfire and the play of colours allows them to release any negativity and evil holding them back. The festival teaches and reminds the Hindu not to do evil and it brings their faith alive as it reminds them of their central belief, Karma and reincarnation. The Holi festival has a specific structure which can be displayed through the Lovat’s stages. The entry, preparation, climax, celebration and exit allow the Hindu to enjoy and value the experience.
YouTube video of the Holi Festival