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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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India: A splash of myths on Holi!
Daily India
Tuesday 14 Mar 2006 From Indo-Asian News Service New Delhi, March 14 (IANS) As myriad as the delectable greens, yellows and reds that hang in the air on Holi are the legends woven around it. And the rich harvest of myths makes for equally diverse festivities across India. As people playfully smear each other with coloured powder to mark the spring festival - which this time falls on Wednesday, it is these ancient stories that come alive once again. The most popular legend about the festival has it that an arrogant demon king, Hiranyakashipu, ordered the killing of his own son Prahlad for being an ardent devotee of popular Hindu deity Vishnu. He wanted his subjects to worship him instead. His sister Holika, considered to be immune to fire, sat clutching the young boy in a huge fire. Prahlad, however, emerged unscathed while Holika was reduced to ashes. It is said that the boy's earnest devotion to the lord had saved his life. Holi commemorates this mythological event and huge bonfires are burnt on the eve of the festival, symbolic of cleansing the air of all evil. In the south, people trace the occasion to Kamadev - the god of love. Once in his foolish pride, Kamadev aimed his arrow at the mighty Hindu god Shiva who was in deep meditation. Lord Shiva opened his third eye and burnt him to ashes. Grief-stricken Rati, Kamdaev's wife, beseeched Lord Shiva to take pity on her and restore her husband's life. Shiva relented and granted a boon that Kamadev would live but he would remain 'anang', or without the physical human form. In Tamil Nadu, Holi is known by names like Kamavilas, Kaman Pandigai or Kama Dahanam. The exuberant festival is also associated with the immortal love of Lord Krishna and Radha, and hence Holi is spread over 16 days in Vrindavan as well as Mathura - the two cities where the playful god is said to have lived. Men and women of Vrindavan clash in a colourful battle of the sexes on this day. The men are soundly beaten by the women with long wooden sticks and are not allowed to retaliate. In this mock battle the men try their best not to be captured and unlucky captives are forcefully led away, thrashed and made to dress in female attire before being made to dance! In West Bengal, the festival is called Dol Purnima and revolves around what is considered an auspicious full moon night. In some parts of the state, an idol of legendary Krishna devotee Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is placed in a beautifully decorated palanquin and taken around the streets. Some Bengalis observe a fast and pray to Lord Krishna and Agnidev (fire god). They smear god Krishna's idol with gulal and make holy offerings of bhog. This is a day when people let go of all inhibitions and smear each other with gulal (coloured powder) and water with playful abandon. Needless to say, it is a national holiday. The festival was traditionally played with natural colours made from extracts of flowers and plants like red sandalwood, hibiscus, gulmohar, turmeric and flame of the forest. Over the years, however, artificial colours with a high percentage of chemicals have come to be used. These are often harmful to the skin and can cause damage to the eyes as well. Realising these dangers, many are now reverting to organic colours, which are making a slow entry into the commercial markets as well. Many of course consider Holi incomplete without bhang, a traditional Indian intoxicant made of ground cannabis leaves, milk and dry fruit. This gives a high and adds to the merry and naughty atmosphere. And being an Indian festival, sweets can't be far away. A special delicacy made of flour, coconut and jaggery called gujia is prepared in most households and relished by one and all. Of course, sweet shops also do brisk business. As gujia and other sweets do the rounds, singing and dancing to the beats of dholaks follow. Many nowadays prefer to celebrate with hit Bollywood songs. Once the fun and frolic is over, people retreat for an elaborate bath - in a symbolic cleansing of one's soul and the starting afresh of a new season. -Indo-Asian News Service
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