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From Caru dasa
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The Krishna temple in Spanish Fork, Utah, invites all members of the public to celebrate the festival of Holi on Saturday, March 30th, from 4 pm.
Anuradha Prabhasankher from the Lasya Dance Company of San Francisco will present the stories behind this festival in a classical Indian dance format. Other elements of the festival will be observed with storytelling, musical interludes, the building of a bonfire, and the throwing of dry colors on friend and foe alike. The dry powders supplied by the temple are non-stain, but still, guests are cautioned not to wear their Sunday Best. Afterwards, everyone will enjoy a sumptuous vegetarian feast. If possible, guests are asked to bring a small offering of fruit, flowers, or even a cooked vegetarian preparation to augment the huge feast.
In India, Holi announces the arrival of spring and the passing of winter. It is a festival that breathes an atmosphere of social merriment. People bury their hatchets with a warm embrace and throw their worries to the wind. Every nook and corner presents a typically colorful sight.
Young and old alike are drenched with colors (red, green, yellow, blue, black, and silver). People in small groups are seen singing, dancing, and throwing colors on each other.
Holi has long traditional links with several legends. According to one popular legend, the word "Holi" is derived from the name of the demoness Holika. She was the sister of Hiranya Kashipu (a name meaning love of gold and a soft bed), a demon king who, having defeated the gods, proclaimed his supremacy over everyone else in the Universe. Enraged over his son Prahlad's ardent devotion to Lord Vishnu, Hiranya Kashipu decides to punish him. He takes the help of his sister, Holika, who is immune to any damage from fire. Holika carries Prahlad into the fire but a divine intervention destroys her and saves Prahlad from getting burned. Thus Holi is celebrated to mark the burning of the evil Holika. It is a celebration of the triumph of good over evil.
Holi is celebrated with special importance in the North of India. It solemnizes the love of Radha and Krishna. The spraying of colored powders recalls the love sport of Lord Krishna and His devotees.
The color, noise, and entertainment that accompanies the celebration of Holi bears witness to a feeling of oneness and sense of brotherhood. No other festival brings home the lesson of spiritual and social harmony as well as the festival of Holi.
To help the temple construction fund, a suggested donation will be asked for the full course meals served throughout, and bags of colors will be given for a $1.00 donation. For more information, call (801)798-3559.
© CHAKRA 26 March 2002
