Holi In Nepal, The Festival Of Colour, History And How To Celebrate It? Colour Festival, also known as Holi, is one of the most famous festivals in Nepal. The festival is celebrated by Hindus from all around the world.
What is Holi?
Holi In Nepal, The Festival Of Colour, History And How To Celebrate It? Holi in Nepal festival falls in the spring season. In Nepali, the festival is well known as Fagu Purnima also because the festival falls on the full moon day in the month of Falgun according to the Nepali calendar.
Nowadays, it is even becoming a more famous festival among non-Hindus also. The colour festival is loved by foreigners, which means people outside of Asia.
Does everyone want to know how the colour festival has started?
Holi In Nepal, The Festival Of Colour, History And How To Celebrate It? Firstly the Holi is celebrated in the burning of the devil Holika. But it also draws on the legend Krishna and Radha also where they both are the lover.
But a reason Radha has a separate skin colour. So, forgetting her lover according to her mother, he went and playfully painted her face so both of them can have the same colour.
Why Does Holi Use To Be Celebrated?
Traditionally, the colours used in the festival were made using the extract of flowers and different kinds of Herbs like Kumkum, Turmeric, Mehendi, Neem, etc. Holi In Nepal, The Festival Of Colour, History And How To Celebrate It? This kind of natural colour used to work as Ayurvedic medicines where the medicine was used to cure high fever, skin diseases, and the natural colours are best for the skin.
These days, synesthetic colours are used in the Holi which is made using dyeing agents and different kinds of other chemicals. But nevertheless, peoples still used to enjoy the Holi ( The Color Festival ).
How to Celebrate the Holi Festival In Nepal?
Holi festival is celebrated for two days in Nepal. On the first day of the Hilly region including Kathmandu and in the Terai region, Holi is celebrated on the second day. On this day, almost all the stores and shops used to be closed.
The whole city used to be immersed in the festival atmosphere whether the people used to know each other or not. They will be sprayed with colour powder and water.
Some will get a gentle touch, some will cross a heavy splash and some will be chased by water balloons. In any case, please don’t get angry because this is a kind of blessing festival.
Holi is a traditional performance with fun and happy moments where people make their faces and clothes with desirable designs related to the Holy.
They also perform different entertainment activities by dancing, singing, magical shows, etc.
There are lots of venues where people celebrate this Holi festival full of excitement. Jhamsikhel, Thamel, Lainchaur, Basantapur, etc are the famous places where people get together to celebrate the Holi Festival annually.
The things you should know before you celebrate Holi.
- Buy white T-Shirts with Holi printed at a cheaper price you can get in any market.
- Don’t wear leather or any new dress. Use goggles to protect your eyes and cover your ears with cotton.
- Cover your mobile phone, camera, and purse with plastics so it won’t get wet.
- Be careful, don’t eat anything given by strangers.
- If you are prone to colour allergies, please avoid the festival.
- Better not to visit alone in the street during the festival.
Why is Holi called the festival of colour?
Holi the festival of colour played with excitement. Holi is also celebrated to welcome the spring season.
Also, there is a story relating to; Lord Krishna and Radha:- Lord Krishna was complaining to his mother Asodha that his girlfriends were teasing him saying Black one and asking her, “ why was he dark when all of his girlfriends were fair ?´´
Yasodha gave Krishna different colours and asked him to throw them on Gopini´s faces so they would look dark too. Krishna took colours and threw them on Gopinis.
As we all know Gopinies were in love with Krishna so they all loved the colour game and enjoyed it and from that time Holi has started to celebrate.
Krishna and Draupadi:- It is said that the Holi is celebrated to remember the love of Krishna to Draupadi when he protected her when the Kaurav did her Chir Haran.
Kauravas were pulling her sari and Lord Krishna made the sari endless. It used to be said that Lord Krishna saves Draupadi and this day is celebrated as Holi.
Death of Holika:- Pralad was the son of Hiranyakashipu, a demon who started thinking he was only the Lord in this Universe.
Prahlad because a devotee of Lord Vishnu, while Hiranyakasyapu wanted all to worship him only. Hiranyakasyapu wanted to convince his son many times but always failed.
The parade never stopped worshipping Lord Vishnu. Then Hiranyakasyapu planned to kill his 5 years old son.
He ordered his sister named Holika to kill Praladh where Holila was blessed with a fireproof dress.
She went to the flame while carrying Prahaladh. Because of the dedication of Praladh Lord Krishna consumed Holika and securely safeguarded Praladh. Holika Dahan means the end of Holika became the Holi festival.
People celebrate the end of Holika with colours, so the Holika Dahan became the festival named Holi.
Dhun Dhundi and Boys:- Once in the kingdom of Prithu, a horrible ogress named Dhundhi started giving trouble to the children.
She was honoured by Lord Shiva that she would not be slaughtered by divine beings, men not hurt by any weapon not affected by heat, cold, snow or rain. These boons made her almost invincible.
Notwithstanding, because of a scourge of Lord Shiva, she was not all that insusceptible to the tricks and maltreatment of young boys.
Ruler Raghu had the option to organize some little youngsters and request that they accomplish something that should be annoyed that ogress should leave the kingdom forever.
The boys on the day of Fagun Purnima collected wood and put fire on it. They started dancing and speaking crazy.
They got a little intoxicated on bhang and chased Dhundi to the border of the kingdom by beating drums, making a loud noise, shouting obscenities and hurling insults at her and continued doing this until she left the place forever.
It is said the same tradition is continued and people take some bhang on this day, burning fire and dance, play drums and jokes around.
