A Very Popular Indian Spring Festival Celebrated all over India Many Colors & Flavors.
Happy Holi When is it Celebrated ?
• Celebrated on the Purnima (Full Moon Day) of Indian Lunar Calendar
• Later part of February or early March
• March 17th, 2014
• Two Days: Holika (Bonfire), Dhulandi (Play with colors)
Happy Holi Significance of Holika
• Holika - A symbol of evil which will burn in fire.
• Collection of trash from houses collected during fall/winter season for several days till Full Moon.
• Burning the Neem leaves – Burning the bitterness of life and taking up the sweatened medicinal value of Neem.
• Welcoming the Spring season with the bonfire.
Happy Holi Holika Dahan - Bonfire
Happy Holi Dhulandi: Holi Play
• Second day is celebrated in most part of India.
• People go around until afternoon sprinkling Gulal (colored powder) and water at each other.
• A special drink is prepared called thandai which can be laced with bhang (mild intoxicant)
• At noon, the craziness comes to an end and everyone heads to either the river, the bathtub or swimming pool.
• People invite each other to their houses for feasts and celebrations later in the evening Happy Holi Gulal and Colored Powders
Happy Holi Medical Significance
• The festival occurs at the onset of Spring. • Weather change Prone to cause viral fever and cold. • Gulal (Colored Powder) - Made of medicinal plants like • Neem – Azidaricta Indica • Kumkum – Colored Turmeric • Haldi - Turmeric • Bilva – Fruit bearing medicinal tree
Happy Holi Economic Significance
• A Festival to Celebrate Good Harvest and Fertility of Land
• New Seasonal Crop comes home during spring.
• A Festival of Farmers
• India was a land of farmers/villagers
• Importance for business community as new purchases are made on this occasion.
Happy Holi Social Significance
• Gathering of people from different sections of society irrespective of their social and economic status • Coming together of males and females to sprinkle colors on each other • Enacting divine love of Radha-Krishna • Forgiving enmities and shed differences • Teenagers spend the day celebrating in the streets • Adults extend the hand of peace and friendship • People enjoy sprinkling abir, gulal and colored water on each other • Distribution of sweets and having feast together. • Family Get-Together
Happy Holi Happy Holi