Holi festival in Nepal

‘Holi’ festival of colors known as Fagupurnima [‘Fagu’ is a month called Falgun on Nepali calendar and ‘Purnima’ is full Moon day from lunar calendar]. It is one of the most beautiful festivals among the numerous festivals celebrated in Hindu culture. It is happiness festival celebrating on the victory of God over evil. It is mainly celebrated in the month of late March. In this festival, people dance, play with different types of colors, singing folk songs with festive joys. During this festival family members, friends, neighbors gather together and play Holi. It is also an outburst of youthful excitement throwing colors and lolas (water filled balloons) to each other.

During the festival, people can be seen going around on the street either on foot or on some vehicles, with a variety of colors smeared over their face and body. We celebrate this festival all over the country. Geographically, celebrate the festival for two days, the first day for high hill and mid-hill areas and the second day at low lands called at the Terai. The tourists also enjoy the festival with full of cheering at tourism areas such as Thamel, Kathmandu Durbar square at Kathmandu, lakeside at Pokhara. It also helps in the promotion of tourism in Nepal. The numbers of tourists are repeating to visit Nepal time and again according to the calendar.

There is a traditional belief behind the celebration of Holi festival. ‘Holi’ comes from the name of a mythical demon, Holika. Since Holika and Hiranyakasyapu were sister and brother. Pralhad was the son of Hiranyakasyapu, he was a strong devotee of Lord Vishnu. The demon King Hiranakasyapu planned the death of his son by putting him into a burning fire on his sister Holika’s lap. She was blessed as fire protection from Lord Bramha. Brahmas’s blessing could not work as it was not used for good purpose. Therefore, Holika was burnt in the fire whereas Pralhad was saved by the grace of God Vishnu. Thus Holi is also celebrated to rejoice Holika’s death.

Also, we have another traditional story, from the Puranas and Bhagawat Gita (The Holy books of Hinduism), Kansha sent a female demon named Putana to kill his nephew Lord Krishna. Putana takes the form of nurse and went to Brindaban to kill Lord Krishna. Since Lord Krishna was a small child and she tried to kill him by breastfeeding with her poisonous milk. But the attempt backfired and she was killed. Her body burnt on the night of Holi. So, it is also considered as the festival of fire. The moral of this festival is ‘if you use the power for a positive purpose is always bears good result but not for the negative.’

Holi is the time for fun and joyful also frolic for everyone.