The eagerly anticipated festival of Holi in India, widely recognized as the festival of colors, takes place in the month of Falgun. This year, Holi is set to be celebrated on Tuesday, March 7th, 2023. Marking the conclusion of winter, the festival occurs on the last full moon day or Purnima of the Falgun month in the Hindu calendar, typically aligning with February-March in the English calendar. On this auspicious day, people engage in playing with colors, sharing joy, and spreading happiness.
Reason Behind Celebrating Holi 2023
The story of Holi has its roots in Hindu mythology. According to legend, the demon king Hiranyakashipu and his sister Holika were granted immortality and invincibility, but Hiranyakashipu’s own son, Prahlada, was a devotee of Lord Vishnu. When Hiranyakashipu tried to kill Prahlada out of anger, he sought help from his sister Holika to sit with Prahlada on fire, hoping to kill him. However, Lord Vishnu saved Prahlada while Holika burned to ashes. Thus, Holi symbolizes the victory of good over evil.
Holi is also associated with the love and romance between God Krishna and Radha, and there are many tales of the Ras-Leelas that took place during Holi in the cities of Mathura and Vrindavan. Additionally, Holi is believed to be the day when Lord Shiva destroyed Kamadeva, the God of Love.
Holi in 2023
The Holi festival in 2023 will be celebrated on Tuesday, March 7th, and the auspicious time for the Puja Muhurat will be from 21:03–22:13. The Rangwali Holi (Dhulandi) will be celebrated on Wednesday, March 8th, 2023. The Purnima Tithi starts on March 7th at 13:25 and ends on March 8th at 12:45.
On Holi, people play with colors and water, applying ‘gulal’ on each other’s faces. The colors are generally made with natural components like neem, kumkum, turmeric, and flower extracts. Large bonfires are lit in the evening for worship, known as Holika Dahan. People dance, sing, and feast with their friends and family, and in the agricultural background, Holi is also a symbol of the new harvest season – Rabi. Fairs like ‘Holi Melas’ are held in different cities in Uttar Pradesh and other parts of North India. In Bengal, Holi is celebrated as Doljatra, where young girls dress up in white and saffron clothes and sing and dance to folk songs. In other regions, like Karnataka, the folk dance style ‘Bedara vesha’ native to Holi is performed with enthusiasm.
Holi is a festival that brings joy and happiness to all who celebrate it. It has a rich history and diverse cultural significance across various regions in India.
If you’re curious about how the significance of Holi might vary based on your zodiac sign, consider consulting India’s top astrologers for insight.
