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Falgu Purnima

Falgu Purnima or Fagu Purnima or Holi is the festival of color. People use color and water to color and water others body to celebrate this festival. This festival is considered as a farewell to winter and welcome to Summer. It is celebrated in the full moon day in Falgun Month. In sanskrit Holi is called as Dhuli.

Holi generally falls in the month of Falgun. Sometimes it also falls in the month of chaitra. This festival is celebrated in wide range of Asian countries. Holi is considered as the festival of color, friendship and love.

How is Holi being celebrated?

Simply, Holi is being celebrated by throwing colors and wates on others body. However, in Nepal Holi starts before 1 week from the holi purnima. There is a long tradition of erecting a bamboo known as lingo covered with pieces of different colored clothes known as chir in Basantapur durbar square, Kathmandu. In the evening of the Holi the lingoo is taken downa nd the chir is burnt. This is called Chir haran or Holika Dahan.

Furthermore, holi is celebrated by gathering friends and families and playing with waters and colors, eating sweets and listening music. People put colors on eachothers body generally cheeks as a token of love. People gather and visit houses of relative and friends and group to put colors and have fun. In Nepal people celebrate Holi in two different days. In Terai region holi is celebrated after the day it is celebrated in Hilly and Mountanious region.

On this day Pichkari aka water gun is made to throw water in anothers body. In older days bamboo was used to make Pichkari. Now a days baloons and plastic water gun are used. The baloon is filled with water and used to throw in others body. The baloon filled with baloon is called lola in Nepali. In the same day people dance and sing a song.

On this day people collect log of woods and burn fires with music and perform dances. The burning of low of wood is important part of Holi celebration and it is called holika dahan or end of Holika.

People bring Holi from places to places so there exist different dates for Holi celebration. So in India there are different days according to place however in Nepal there are only two days for Holi to be celebrated in Terai and Hilly regions. There is a public holiday in the day of Falgu purnima in Nepal.

How holi festival is started? History of Holi

There are many stories behind the celebration of Holi

1. Krishna and Radha

Krishna was teased by Radha and other gopinies as he was black. On day Krishna compalined to his mother Asodha that he is being teased and named 'Kale' by the gopinies. She suggested that take colors and throw the colors on them so they look different. Krishna did the same and Gopinis liked and enjoyed it. From that time it is being traditionalized.

2. Death of Holika

Death of Holika seems to be most promishing reason of Holi being celebrated. The day is called when the Holika died and her death is the celebration.

Praladh, son of Demon Hiranyakasyapu, was a devotee of Lord Vishnu. Hiranyakasyapu was a very proudy who think he was only the lord in the universe. He wanted everyone worship him instead of gods. Knowing his own son was worshiping the gods he became angry. He tried to stop his son but could not. Finally, he decided to kill his 5 year old son and ordered his sister Holika to kill Praladh taking him into the fire. This is because Holika ws blessed with fire proof dress. To kill Praladh she went into the flame of fire carrying Praladh. Surprisingly, due to devotion of Praladh towards Lord Bishnu he was safely rescued and Holika was burnt. The death of Holika is called as Holika Dahan. So there is a tradition of making the symbol of Holika from hay and other clothes and finally burning it to celebrate holika dahan. From that moment holi is believed to be started and continued.

3. Krishna and Draupadi

It is also often believed holi is celebrated to remember when krishna protected Draupadi during chir haran. Karaubs were pulling Draupadi to make her naked and Lord Krishna made the sari endless. To remember this moment it is believed that holi started.

4. Dhundi and Boys

Dhundi, a horrible ogress, on the kindom of Prithu was giving trouble to the children. She was blessed that she wont be killed by gods and men and not hurt by any weapon nor affected by heat, cold, snow or rain. But she was cursed by Lord Shiva, she cannot be immune to the pranks and abuses of young boys. The King Raghu arranged young boys to annow ogress and make her leave kingdom. The young boys did the same and played the beating drums with loud noise, shouting and hurling insults they make her go outside the kingdom. This makes a tradition to start holi.