Holi: Festival of Colours

A Changemaker is a Proponent of the New and NOT an Opponent of the Old

-Ancient Indian Text

I am late by 3-4 days in sharing my thoughts about Holi with you all but as they say “ It is Better late than Never”.

Incredible India as we call, is vibrant and diverse in every way. Many Indians worldwide celebrated Holi, the Festival of Colours which heralds the arrival of spring.

Holi, like many Indian festivals is steeped with deeper Spiritual significance and religious connotations. For the purposes of this article, I am going to share key management insights I glean from this festival.

Legend says (and many deeply believe), a lady named Holika tried to quell pure hearted child named Prahalad and eventually met her fate due to her malefic intentions. While meeting her end, she desired people celebrate this day with colours and eschew any ill wills towards each other.

This Holika and Prahalad are in me.

Holika in me represents Self-Pretence, maserquades the real me, acts like a spark plug/ wet blanket on innovation, is cynical about anything that is new, masks “ Not Invented Here” syndrome with a façade of being conservative and safe. In short, makes me Unauthentic.

Prahalad on the other hand is the Child in me characterized by Pure intentions ( incidentally Prahalad in Sanskrit translates to Being Pristine), inquisitiveness, creativity, negating the status quo, constant learning. Pretty much like the “Little Professor” ego state in Transaction analysis ( Freudian theory).

These 2 live in complete opposite poles.

Therefore, Holi to me marks a paradigm shift and prevalence of:

·      Creativity over Conformity

·      Enthusiasm over Conservatism

·      Authenticity over Self-pretence

·      Breaking the boundaries over establishing walls

·      Expressing vulnerabilities over Political correctness

·      Experimentation over Set guidelines

·      Learning over just succeeding

And thus, when Holika in me sheds her ways and embraces Prahalad ( the child in me) fully, my world will become Colourful , of limitless possibilities and an enjoyable enterprise.

Happy Holi!