The festival of colors, Holi, is quickly approaching, and the zeal and excitement are strong. Phalgun is the month in which Holi is celebrated. On Phalgun Purnima, it begins with Holika Dahan, also known as Chhoti Holi, and lasts until the next day, when Dhulendi, also known as Badi Holi, is celebrated with mud, powdered color mixed with water, and Gulal.
Holi in Bihar is all about food, color, and celebration. On the evening of Holika Dahan, the celebrations begin with the preparation of pakodas, which are offered to bonfires to symbolize the triumph of good over evil. Holi is celebrated with great enthusiasm the next day. This day, getting covered in color, mud, and water is unavoidable. People are seen dancing to the sounds of Dholak and other Holi songs, which greatly enhance the festival’s atmosphere. On this day in Bihar, some of the most delicious dishes prepared include Malpua, Dahi vada, Poori and mutton, and kathal ki sabji. On the evening of Holi, friends and family pay their respects by smearing the faces of their younger friends and peers and placing gulal on the feet of the elderly. This celebration fills our lives with color, positivity, and a new wave of energy that lasts for a full year till the next Holi arrives.
Cultural Significance: In Bihar, Holi holds immense cultural significance and is widely celebrated with great zeal and fervour. The festival has a strong cultural and folkloric foundation in the state.
Religious Significance: Holi is a festival observed in Bihar to symbolize the triumph of good over evil since it is thought that on this day, Lord Vishnu vanquished the demon Holika. An major aspect of Hindu mythology is the legend of Radha and Krishna, which is linked to the festival.
Social Significance:Regardless of their social or economic standing, people in Bihar gather to celebrate Holi together. It’s a time when people put aside their differences and rejoice in one another, exchanging greetings, colors, and sweets.
Regional Traditions:Every region of Bihar celebrates Holi with its own distinctive traditions and customs. For instance, Holi is celebrated as Phagwa in the Mithila region, where it calls for singing, dancing, and the use of natural colors derived from flowers and herbs.
HOLI BONFIRE – “CHHOTI HOLI”
There are two aspects to the Holi festival. The first is the day of the bonfire, popularly referred to as “Chhoti Holi” or “Holika Dahan” (the burning of Holika). On this day, homeowners clean their homes, take ceremonial showers, and wear new garments. New coatings are applied to mud cottages, and drawings are made on the walls and fronts of houses. Trash from households is removed and brought to the nightly ritual bonfire. This sacrifice made to the campfire represents driving evil spirits from houses. The Holi bonfire is considered a harvest festival due to its association with the farming season. In the same way that Lord Vishnu’s devotee Prahlada was shielded from evil, farming families pray for a bountiful crop and protection from all harm.
People congregate around the campfire, singing traditional songs not in Sanskrit, the language of the priests, but in local rural languages and regional dialects based on Prakrit, like Brij, Awadhi, Bhojpuri, and Maithili. The festival of Holi is actually the inspiration for an entire genre of agricultural folk music known as Phagwa (Phaag or Phagan) songs, whose main themes include not only the festival and its associated Gods but also crops, love and relationships, nature, community, and the excitement of spring. The rural areas of the UP and Bihar states in North India are particularly fond of these tunes.
There are similarities between the holy Holi bonfire and a number of other indigenous practices that honor nature. During and after harvest season, bonfires are frequently celebrated by indigenous communities across the Americas, Australia, and even by the pagan tribes of pre-Christian Europe. They are thought to have an apotropaic (avoidance of evil influence) effect on the general well-being of agrarian civilizations and the health of their crops. Oftentimes, these rites are performed on full or new moon evenings. Furthermore, solstices and equinoxes are thought to be particularly important.
It’s crucial to remember that the Holi bonfire rite is straightforward and doesn’t call for a priest. The bonfire is created with dry wood gathered from broken branches, cow dung cakes, old furniture, and domestic trash instead of the more costly mango wood and ceremonial materials known as “Homa Samagri,” which are used in the more well-known Hindu sacred fire rites (Homam or Yajna). These days, slender bamboo sticks painted with traditional patterns are also available in semi-urban regions for use in bonfires.
CELEBRATION WITH COLOURS – “BADI HOLI”
Every class, caste, gender, language, and creed are transcended when people come together to play with colored powder (and colored water) on the second day of the celebration, which is also known as “Badi Holi” or “Dulendi.” Since it is believed that applying color is auspicious on Badi Holi, the day starts with the entire family applying tilakam to the Gods, to each other, to pets, and even to houseplants. Holi is a celebration that is open to all, as it is thought that nobody should be excluded from this fortunate occasion. Along with dancing and snacking, people play with colors in the street with complete strangers. Frequently, similar to Halloween in America, groups of young children go from house to home in the area playing
