Holi is a Hindu festival celebrated in a colorful way in India, Guyana, Trinidad and Nepal. The festival shows the divine supremacy over human and the utmost protection a devotee can get for his unshakable belief. It is celebrated by making holi fire (to mark the burning of Hiranyakshipu’s sister Holika) and spraying the colors on each other (to show the happiness on god’s win against the demons or evils). The legend of Holi is connected to Dasavatharam (10 forms of Lord Vishnu).

 Dasavatharam:-

The Holi festival has a close connection to one of the elite chapter of Hindu legend. As per Hindu mythology, Lord Vishnu has come nine times to earth in different forms (avatars), to save people from the demons and natural calamities. In addition, Hindus are expecting the 10th form, which is expecting to happen after the current materialistic period. These avatars are known as Dasavatharam. Out of these, Vishnu took some forms as per request of Devas to save earth and themselves from Demons. However, He took some forms himself to save the people and universe from demon. Lord Krishna is the most famous form of the dasavatharam. Holi legend is connected to one of the form in dasavatharam known as Narasimham

Holi Legend:-

The Holi is connected to the form Narasimham (Nara means man and simham means Lion). The demon king Hiranyakashipu who lived in earth prayed to Lord Brahma and got a boon. Because of the power of that boon, humans or animals cannot kill him, nobody can kill him in his house or outside of his house, he cannot be killed in day or night, he cannot be killed in earth or sky. Because of this boon, it has become virtually impossible to kill Hiranyakashipu.

Because of this Hiranyakashipu, become so cruel and arrogant. He ordered that he is the god and everybody should worship him. His entire kingdom agreed in fear except his son Prahlad, who insisted that Hiranyakashipu is a man and Lord Vishnu is the only true god to be worshipped. Hiranyakashipu tried change his son, but in vein. Angry Hiranyakashipu then tried lot of ways to kill his son, and in one time, he ordered his sister Holika to take Prahlad into the fire. Holika was having a boon, due to that fire cannot burn Holika. However, in this time, fire burned Holika. Prahlad, who was chanting Vishnu sutra, came out of fire intact, as fire did not burn even his hair. People started celebrating this day as Holi for the victory of god over evil.

The legend continues that after some time when Hiranyakashipu was about kill Prahlad, Lord Vishnu appeared in Narasimham avatar (half man and half animal) and saved Prahlad and world from Hiranyakashipu. He has taken Hiranyakashipu to the door of his house (not in house or outside of house), kept him in his lap (not in earth or not in sky), and killed him at sunset (Not at day or not at night) with his Strong palm and Lion nails (not by weapons or Mantras).

Holi celebration

The celebration of Holi is by Making Holi fire and spraying colors each other. On Holi day north India becomes more colorful as people spraying colors each other. We can see Lot of shops selling color for Holi. However, the use of toxic color should be banned as the innocent children is exposed to Harmful chemicals

Holi greeting cards: – People send greeting cards on Holi to their dear ones. Lot of online greeting card websites is providing free animated cards for holi.