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WHY HOLIKA DAHAN IS CELEBRATED A DAY BEFORE HOLI

WHY HOLIKA DAHAN IS CELEBRATED A DAY BEFORE HOLI 

Introduction :- Holi is the festival of colors, which is celebrated every year in the month of Phagun (March) by the people of Hindu religion with great fanfare. One day before Holi, people conduct a ritual called 'Holika Dahan'. In this ritual, people pile heaps of wood in public areas to burn. It symbolizes the burning of evil powers revising the story of Holika and King Hiranyakashyap.




The History behind Celebrating Holika Dahan :- There are many stories prevalent as the reason behind the celebration of this festival. Long ago there lived a Demon king called Hiranyakashyap. He attained different powers and blessings of God by his prayers. He was also blessed with immortality. He was very proud of his powers and started considering himself as God. The people in his kingdom worshipped him only as their supreme power. He had a son named Prahlad who was the great devotee of Lord Vishnu. This act of his son made him filled with rage and anger. He tried to kill his son in several ways but was unsuccessful every time as Prahlad was saved because of the blessings of God. Holika was the sister of the demon king. Hirannayakashyapu decided to kill his son by making him sit in the fire with his sister Holika. Holika was blessed with a magical cloak that would prevent her from burning after she wore it. She did the same and sat in the middle of the fire by taking Prahlad in her laps. It was due to the blessing of God that Prahlad was safe and Holika was burnt to ashes. Later Hiranyakashyapu was killed by Lord Vishnu in Narsimha avatar. Why Holika Dahan is Celebrated a Day before Holi? This tradition has been in practice for a longer period of time. According to Hindu mythology, it is stated that Hiranyakashyapu the demon king asked her sister Holika to sit in the fire with Prahlad in her lap. She was blessed with a magical cloak by Lord Brahma that would prevent her from any harm. She sat on fire with a motive to kill Prahlad but Prahlad was safe because of the blessings of God. The magical cloak flew and was wrapped around Prahalad’s body and Holika was burnt to ashes. Since then the celebration of this tradition is continued till today.The festival Holi itself derives its name from Holika. The safe rescue of Prahlad is the motive of the celebration of the festival as Holi. The bonfire is burnt one night before the Holi celebration. The bonfire is considered as the burning of Holika and her evil deeds in the fire. People burn the wood pieces, waste material from their houses after cleaning, etc., and dance around the fire for celebrating the burning of the negativity. It is considered that every kind of evil and negativity is burnt in the bonfire and hence there will be a new beginning ahead with the celebration of the festival. Conclusion :- Every celebration is made on behalf of a strong motive behind that. The Holi is celebrated in the happiness of victory of good over evil that is best demonstrated by the safe rescue of Prahlad and burning of evil Holika. Therefore Holika Dahan is celebrated one day before the celebration of Holi.

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