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Holika Dhahan



There is March already, we have some festival coming in next few days. Today here at Maharastra we celebrate a festival "Holika". And tomorrow it is Festival of Holi (Festival of colors). Although Holi is becoming very popular festival internationally and many people visit India just to enjoy holi, this post is not about Holi but its about Holika. Note the difference in the name.

I feel that all Indian festivals are designed so that people in society should gather and mix up with each other. Good news is its holiday tomorrow and its a long weekend. After long time I will be celebrating Holika. It is very interesting festival. Like all other Hindu festivals, it is about victory of good over bad. This time it is about victory of good within over the evil within us. On internet there are many stories how Holika started and so I will not discuss it here.

Indians believe that fire is pure. It burns evil and what remains is pure. Anything that survives fire is pure. We all know story of Sita from Ramayana. So during Holika, we set stack of cow dung cakes. In the evening many people from society gathers at one place, do the puja/archana and burn it. There is tradition of running around the fire and shout loudly. Shouting symbolize that if we have some complaints about something or somebody we say it and burn it, clear our mind for everybody and start over again. When I was kid, I and my cousins use to enjoy it so much. Its a official day for shouting and playing with fire. What else kids want. 😃 And there use to be a "Timki". It is a sort of drum specially made for Holika dhahan. During childhood we use to buy it and beat it like anything. We use to beat till either it breaks or till somebody use to shout us for the noise. This is the thing I really like.  Wow, I really miss those days. And this does not end here. There use to be sweet Chapati, Puran poli. Puran poli is sweet made specially on Holika. Many people in India don't know about this sweet food. I feel really sorry for them. They don't know what they are missing. My mother cooks it so well. She is the master in it. And guess what, she is here today and I am having it today. 

Today, Holika dhahan is performed at many places but the tradition is reducing. As far as environment is concerned it is better to keep it at low because Holika dahan causes pollution. So we need to create a balance. We want both. Traditional festivals should be alive and also environment should not get polluted. After-all life is about balance. I will try to upload photos if possible, till then enjoy..Happy Holika.






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