Story Behind Holi Celebration!!!!!!!!!!

There was once a king by the named Hiranyakashyap who won the kingdom of earth. He commanded everybody in his kingdom to worship only him. But to his great disappointment, his son, Prahlad became an ardent devotee of Lord Naarayana and refused to worship his father.

Hiranyakashyap tried several ways to kill his son Prahlad but Lord Vishnu saved him every time. Finally, Hiranyakashyap asked her daughter, Holika to enter a blazing fire with Prahlad in her lap.

Holi Celebration!!!

Treacherously, Holika coaxed young Prahlad to sit in her lap and she herself took her seat in a blazing fire. The legend has it that Holika had to pay the price of her sinister desire by her life. Holika was not aware that the boon worked only when she entered the fire alone. 

Prahlad, who kept chanting the name of Lord Naarayana all this while, came out unharmed, as the lord blessed him for his extreme devotion.
 
Thus, Holi derives its name from Holika. And, is celebrated as a festival of victory of good over evil. 

Holi is also celebrated as the triumph of a devotee. As the legend depicts that anybody, howsoever strong, cannot harm a true devotee. And, those who dare torture a true devotee of god shall be reduced to ashes.

Even today, people enact the scene of 'Holika's burning to ashes' every year to mark the victory of good over evil. 

In several states of Northern India, effigies of Holika are burnt in the huge bonfires that are lit. There is even a practice of hurling cow dungs into the fire and shouting obscenities at it as if at Holika. Then everywhere one hears shouts of 'Holi-hai! Holi-hai!'.

Further, on the last day of Holi, people take a little fire from the bonfire to their homes. It is believed that by following this custom their homes will be rendered pure and their bodies will be free from disease.


Happy Holi everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Cheers
Kannan