Five things you should know about the Hindu festival of Holi
Peter Gill
Hindus across much of South Asia — and in Greater Columbus — are celebrating Holi, the festival of colors, this week. The holiday starts on Tuesday, on the full moon of the Hindu month of Phalguna, and continues until Wednesday night.
“Holi is a festival of harmony,” said Bishun Pandey, 67, president of the Bharatiya Hindu Temple in Powell and a mathematics professor at Ohio State University. “This is the day that we forget about any animosities we have, and we become friends — we meet, greet, play and eat together.”
Here are five things you should know about the holiday.
1. The story of Holi is about devotion, but also playfulness
“Holi” refers to the demoness Holika, and her death. Hindus believe that Holika was the sister of Hiranyakashyap, a demon-king who terrorized the world and ordered everyone to worship him. However, Hiranyakashyap’s son Prahlad, a devotee of Lord Vishnu, refused.
As retribution, Hiranyakashyap asked Holika to help him kill Prahlad by entering a blazing fire while holding him on her lap. According to a common account, Holika thought she would be protected by a magic shawl, but it blew off and saved her nephew instead, showing the power of Prahlad's devotion to Vishnu.
In much of India, Holi celebrates the playful and child-like demeanor of Lord Krishna, an avatar of Vishnu. But the festival varies regionally, and is sometimes associated with Lord Shiva and his wife Parvati, or with Lord Rama and his wife Sita, according to Pandey.
2. More than a color fight: celebrating with food, song and fire
On the first night of Holi, many Hindus burn effigies of the demoness Holika made out of firewood or straw.
The next day, people play-fight with family members and neighbors using water balloons, squirt guns and colorful powders, which they smear on each other’s faces and clothing.
Pandey said that when he was growing up in a village in northern India, neighbors would sing devotional carols together in the streets.
Mridula Gupta, 44, a Dublin resident who is originally from Nepal, said the holiday holds memories of special foods from her childhood.
“We went to different houses to get their blessings and eat — we ate dahi vada (deep-fried lentil balls served in yogurt), mutton, and puwa (cardamom-infused pancakes) in bulk,” said Gupta, who is also hosting a local Holi celebration this year.
3. Holi is associated with spring and new beginnings
Holi is celebrated according to the Hindu lunisolar calendar. Thus, the date varies from year to year in the Gregorian calendar, but in general it coincides with the beginning of spring — a time to celebrate the end of winter and the start of new life.
4. It’s a time to break social conventions
Holi’s association with playfulness brings together people from diverse walks of life, according to Pandey.
”Caste, creed divisions broken. Anybody goes to anybody's home,” Pandey said. “And this day, basically anybody can throw color on anybody.”
In parts of India, some also celebrate by consuming bhang — a spicy milk drink infused with cannabis.
5. Holi goings-on in central Ohio
Hindu communities in central Ohio are putting on several events to celebrate Holi this year.
Several temples are hosting special services.
In Powell, the Bharatiya Hindu Temple is holding a Holika ceremony and color-throwing event for congregants on Tuesday evening.
Likewise, the nonprofit Gujarati Mandal of Central Ohio is selling tickets for a Holi festival that will be held at Westerville Central High School at 3 p.m. on April 8.
Peter Gill covers immigration and new American communities for The Dispatch in partnership with Report for America. You can support work like his with a tax-deductible donation to Report for America here:bit.ly/3fNsGaZ.
pgill@dispatch.com