We celebrate Holi with gaiety and abandon – because a young boy, Prahalad, reminded us we must always speak truth to power!” Me
This week, the Indian community began to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the abolition of indentureship. And next weekend, the entire country will be splashed with colours as Hindus and also non-Hindus celebrate Phagwah – the festival of colours, which those immigrants brought with them from India. We will honour their memory if we remember the essential message of Holi – we celebrate because someone decided to stand up for the truth. And this is what they did so many times from 1838 to 1917.
But today, I want to remind one and all of the customs they bequeathed on the celebratory aspect of Holi as well as the “standing up” part”!! In the morning, females of the home will be busy cooking all types of traditional Holi sweets like Gujiya, Gulgula, Ras Milai, and Gulab Jamoon so that everyone will be free to go out and play Phagwah. Unfortunately, this year I’ll be missing Phagwah at home and instead I’ll be holed up in my apartment preparing for my upcoming exams.
Phagwah commemorates the beginning of Spring, the triumph of good over evil and a time for new beginnings for everyone. It’s a story set many eons ago among a people called “Asuras” – traditionally opposed to the gods but incorrectly called ‘demons”.
A young Asura prince named Prahalad – had the courage to stand up to his own father, King Hiranyakashipu who had started to challenge the Gods. Because of a boon he received from Lord Brahma, he was nearly invincible and so filled with arrogance and pride, he demanded he be worshipped by his subjects.
To paraphrase Albus Dumbledore, “It takes great courage to stand up to our enemies but it takes even greater courage to stand up to our family (friends)”. And Prahalad had that courage. No matter how many times his father and teachers tried to convince him otherwise, Prahalad always kept his belief in Lord Vishnu. And his prayers didn’t go in vain. The king had his minions try every which way to kill his obstinate son but to no avail: the boy was protected by Lord Vishnu. Even when his Aunt Holika, immune to fire, tried to burn him in a pyre.
Finally, Hiranyakashipu scornfully challenged Prahalad to prove that Lord Vishnu was indeed in everything and everyone. Lord Vishnu appeared out of a pillar as Narsimha – half man-half lion. Hiranyakashipu’s boon was that he couldn’t be killed by man nor animal; not by hand nor by any weapon; not in the day nor in the night; not in a house, outside nor on the ground nor in the air. Lord Narsimha killed Hiranyakashipu with his claws, on his knee, on the doorstep of the Palace at exactly dusk. Prahalad was crowned King.
The lesson, of course, is that anyone can be a Prahalad – even or especially the young – by standing up to the Hiranyakashipus in their life. Life isn’t about always being a passive person who doesn’t have opinions or who doesn’t stand up for their beliefs. That’s not to say you should always pick up cudgels whenever someone steps on your toes. But you should always let them know firmly, that you’re not just someone they can take advantage of.
The message of Phagwah is a very strong one. Stand up for what you believe in; don’t be a carpet that everyone walks over. Always remember Prahalad, a young boy who has the strength, the courage to stand up for his beliefs. Don’t just go along to get along.
So everyone, go out next weekend and have a wonderful, colourful Phagwah! Holi Re!
