Why is Holi called festival of colours and what do red, pink, blue and green symbolise?
Why is Holi called festival of colours and what do red, pink, blue and green symbolise?
prativad
The beautiful festival of Holi is celebrated across India every year to mark the victory of good or evil. The festival also commemorates the divine love between Lord Krishna and Radha. The auspicious Hindu festival will be observed on 8 March this year. Also considered to be the second biggest festival on the Hindu calendar after Diwali, Holi involves playing with coloured powder and water. The celebration also involves the preparation of various delicacies like gujiya and thandai. People pay visits to their friends and families and share sweets with each other on this day. The Holi rituals in Braj regions, namely places related to the life of Lord Krishna like Vrindavan, Gowardhan, Mathura, Gokul, Nandagaon, and Barsana, are the most famous. For instance, one of the most popular Holi celebrations is the “Lathmar Holi” in Barsana.
The celebrations of Holi last for two days in most regions, starting with Choti Holi or Holika Dahan, and ending with Dhulandi or Rangwali Holi (Holi).
Why is Holi called the festival of colours?
As per Hindu mythology, Lord Krishna had a dark complexion and Radha was very fair. Krishna used to worry that Radha would not accept him due to his skin colour. So, he complained to his mother Yashoda about it. Yashoda playfully suggested that he smear the face of Radha with colours to remove any differences in their complexion. So, Krishna applied gulal on the face of Radha. This is how the celebration of Holi began, and this is the reason why it is known as the festival of colours.
What do the colours used in Holi symbolise?
The colours used in Holi signify many things. Let’s take a look:
- Red – This colour implies love, passion, and fertility.
- Blue – This colour symbolises the colour of Krishna’s face and stands for strength and spiritual growth.
- Yellow – This is the colour of knowledge and learning, it symbolises peace, happiness, and meditation.
- Green – Green is the colour of nature and it symbolises the beginning of spring and a new start.
- Pink – This is the colour of compassion and caring.
