Dear Editor,
Festivals are inherent in every culture in the adherence to their religions; be it Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, Judaism and a host of other religions in society. They help us to keep connections to our ancestries and cultures that were passed down from our great fore-parents. These festivals also teach us to understand our history; to embrace one another; and to forgo our differences, regardless of our different religions, races and colours.
To corroborate my insinuation, in Christianity we have the observance of Easter; in Islam we have Eid-al-Fitr or Ramadan; in Judaism we have Yom Kippur; and in Hinduism we have many, one of which is the festival of Holi – which would be the basis of my article.
Holi is celebrated during the month of Phalgun, which is the month of March as per the Hindu calendar, which began on February 28 and ends on March 28, 2021. The festival normally falls a day after the Phalgun Purnima, or full moon day. In this year of 2021, the Hindu festival of Holi will be celebrated on the 28th day of March. Although Holi has many significances, it is generally recognised as the festival of colours and the ushering in of spring for a good harvest, but it is universally considered the triumph of good over evil.
Prior to the onset of Holi, on the 28th day of March, the night before the Holi festival, which is called Holika Dahan, Hindu priests and villagers would gather to perform their religious rituals at suitable locations, where bonfires are built, in the midst of which dummies of Holika are placed. Ultimately, as the bonfires subside, Holika will be burnt to ashes, thus symbolising the demise of Holika, as per Hindu mythology.
Regarding the above, as per Hindu Mythology, there was once a powerful but evil king by the name of Hiranyakshyap. He considered himself to be God, and had wanted everyone within the kingdom and in the country to worship him as the true God. But contrary to his demand, he had a son by the name of Prahlad, who did not consider his father as a God, but instead worshipped Lord Vishnu as the true God. King Hiranyakshyap was very enraged, and decided to kill his son.
He tried innumerable ways to kill Prahlad, but was unsuccessful due to the unforeseen intervention of Lord Vishnu. Having seen no alternative to his fiendish desire, he solicited his sister Holika to get rid of Prahlad, as Holika was granted a wish that made her immune to fire. Holika therefore decided to take Prahlad in her lap and enter a bonfire. Legend has it that Holika was burnt to ashes, and Prahlad was unscathed due to his extreme devotion to Lord Vishnu.
Holi is one of the many festivals that were handed down to us by our fore-parents. This festival is celebrated internationally. It is celebrated in India and throughout the Caribbean, but with specific reference to Guyana. On the day of March 28, the onset of the Holi celebration, Hindus would clean their houses, prepare vegetarian dishes, and make delicious sweets. They attire themselves in their white shirts and pants, armed with their cups of white power and their bottles of abeer, as it is commonly called, and saunter their ways to the temples.
I can vividly remember my experience as a young boy being brought up in a very religious home, living in Enmore on the East Coast of Demerara while attending the temple and participating in the Holi festival and other festivals. My thoughts and experiences associating with the temple and participation in this and other festivals will always remain indelible in my memory.
During the puja ceremony in the temples, homage is paid to the relevant deities. Traditional songs are sung while stories are told relative to this festival. To further compound the legacy of this festival, there is the singing of “Chowtaal”, done normally by two rows of singers facing each other and having copper cymbals in their hands. Each side takes turn in presenting their rendition while simultaneously hitting the cymbals together as if competing in a contest.
When the puja ceremonies end in the various temples, everyone would scamper outside on the lawns of the temples, greeting each other and applying the coloured water, commonly called abeer, and powders on friends and family, which gives the event its common name “Festival of Colours.”
As the festival continues, men and young boys would gather in groups, armed with their cymbals, powder and abeer, to saunter through the neighbourhoods while singing their “Chowtaal”. Very often, on their way they would encounter strangers, to whom they would apply powder and abeer, while onlookers would greet them in the spirit of Holi. As the day draws to a close, the groups would visit families and friends, and exchange gifts, sweets and greetings, thus helping to revitalise relationships and strengthen emotional bonds between families and friends.
The festival of Holi has numerous significances. It bridges social gaps and brings people together, irrespective of the rich and poor, the young and old. It fosters a message of unity and brotherhood. Holi also helps to bring the society together, and strengthen the secular fabric of our country.
But the veracity of it all, the legendary significance of Prahlad and Hiranyakashyap, is the ultimate victory of good over evil through God’s intervention. He is infinite, and anything is possible through Him. With extreme devotion to God along with His true devotees, one can always find a safe haven under His wings.
Thank you,
Mani Jadunauth
