Colourful Holi dance festivity expresses love

The festivity entails merrymaking and dancing to the beat of Holi songs and a spirited exposition of chasing and colouring each other with dry and water colours. PHOTO| ALLAUDIN QURESHI

What you need to know:

  • The foremost is the legend of demon king Harnaykshyap who demanded his subjects to worship him.
  • His son Prahlad, a pious devotee of Lord Vishnu, went against his father’s wishes and earned his wrath.
  • The father sentenced Prahlad to be burnt to death.
  • The demon king’s sister Holika, who had a heavenly boon that made her immune to fire, stepped into the blaze in a show of strength, immortality and immunity.
  • Due to Prahlad’s extreme devotion to the Lord he was miraculously saved from the fire and Holika perished.

The advent of springtime in the Indian sub-continent is time to not only celebrate and make merry but also to pay homage to the victory of good over evil and foster love for fellow beings by literally sprinkling colours on each other and dancing in ecstasy. This spring celebration is widely known as the Holi Festival and is revered by Indians around the world.

To welcome and celebrate the revered occasion, Hindu Council of Kenya last Thursday organized a special prayer at its Hindu Bhavan Kusi Lane, preaching love, peace and forgiveness for happy existence. This morning Kenbharti Centre has invited Kenyans at Hospital Hill School in Parklands in a show of great reverence and enthusiasm.

Thanksgiving and festivity take place at various temples and community centres as well. Other Kenyans join Hindus to enjoy dancing and sampling delicacies.

The festivity entails merrymaking and dancing to the beat of Holi songs and a spirited exposition of chasing and colouring each other with dry and water colours.

This is all in the spirit of Holi and wishing each other happiness and to ward off evil paving the way for peace and prosperity.

Besides Holi being a seasonal festival that announces joys and gaiety at the advent of spring, it has a strong religious significance and is associated with various mythological legends.

The foremost is the legend of demon king Harnaykshyap who demanded his subjects to worship him. His son Prahlad, a pious devotee of Lord Vishnu, went against his father’s wishes and earned his wrath.

The father sentenced Prahlad to be burnt to death. The demon king’s sister Holika, who had a heavenly boon that made her immune to fire, stepped into the blaze in a show of strength, immortality and immunity. Due to Prahlad’s extreme devotion to the Lord he was miraculously saved from the fire and Holika perished. This reminds devotees of the victory of the virtuous and the good over forces of evil.

It is believed that the much loved, naughty and mischievous Lord Krishna started the trend of playing colours. He applied colour on his beloved Radha and the trend became a custom.