Time for Fun
On the fifth day of the dark half of Phalgun the feast
of Color is celebrated. On this day some people throw colored powder ("gulal")
or colored water on each other. This is done in remembrance of the fun Krishna used to
have playing "hori" (songs) with the "gopis" (female cowherds) at
Gokul.
To have fun is one of the basic needs of man. When the year comes to an
end, an occasion seems to offer itself to have fun. Among traditional minded people fun
also must be done according to ancient tradition. Hence Krishna's fun and frolic can offer
a convenient pattern.
However, as in everything else, man must try to see that merry making
conforms to advancing standards of society. |
Colour and Beauty
Color is one of the beautiful things of God's creation. Light that is
colorless, breaks up into a variety of hues when passing through a prism. The same effect
is seen when the sunlight goes through the rain drops producing the rainbow. What a
difference between black and white and color TV! Man's artistic nature seeks harmony in
colors, harmony in sounds. The feast of c9lour, Rang Panchmi, should be an occasion to
encourage the development of man's aesthetic sense. Celebrations should have nothing to do
with what is ugly and vulgar. The color festival should lead people to an appreciation of
beauty and to the development of good taste. The beauty of man's body is enhanced when
gulal, is delicately and lovingly applied to a friend's forehead. It is man's duty to
embellish nature, not to make it appear ugly. The sense of beauty is akin to the religious
sense, because God is the source of all beauty.
Holi, The Fire Festival
On the full moon day of the month of Phalgun the feast of Holika Dahan
is celebrated. According to the Puranas and the Bhagavat, uncle Kansa, in an attempt to
kill the boy Krishna, sent Putna, a female demon, with the hope that he would drink her
poisonous milk. But Krishna drank the milk, and also sucked Putna's blood. Thus he
digested the poison and Putna died. During the night of Holi a big fire is lit in which
Putna is burnt.
According to another story, Dhundha, the witch, or female demon, used
to harass small children. By lighting big fires it is believed that she gets frightened
and is driven out of the village. Today the custom goes on of making big bonfires in every
lane of cities and villages. In this way a huge amount of firewood and much needed fuel is
destroyed. For this purpose children consider it their right to collect wood from every
imaginable source. This in turn can easily lead to quarrels and fights.
This feast is also known as "kamdahan" (the burning of lust),
or "Madandahan" (the burning of Madan). As the story goes, m order to destroy
the demon Tarkasur, the gods thought that only the son of Shankar would have the needed
power. But Shankar was lost in meditation, not at all interested in marriage or sexual
pleasure. As Shankar was deeply engrossed in his penance, the gods sent Madan to tempt
him. Madan tried to draw Shankar's attention towards Parvati. Then Shankar became angry
and opening his third eye on his forehead, he cast a fiery look on Madan and reduced him
to ashes.
On the day of Holi in some houses the head of the family worships the
fire. A mango tree, or a coconut tree, or a betel nut tree, or a castor oil plant, or a
plantain tree is buried in the middle of the fire.
Recipies for Holi : Jilebi Mysorepaak
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