Holi 2023

Sarbojonin Hindu Puja Mondir. Torpignattara. ROME – 7 March 2022

The Holi festival, in a riot of joy and colors with the Bangladeshi Hindu community of Torpignattara.

 

Holi is a popular ancient Hindu festival, also known as the Festival of Spring, the Festival of Colors, or the Festival of Love. The festival celebrates the eternal and divine love of Radha Krishna. It also signifies the triumph of good over evil, as it celebrates the victory of Lord Vishnu as Narasimha Narayana over Hiranyakashipu.

 

 

Holi celebrations start on the night before Holi with a Holika Dahan where people gather, perform religious rituals in front of the bonfire, and pray that their internal evil be destroyed the way Holika, the sister of the demon king Hiranyakashipu, was killed in the fire.

The next morning is celebrated as Rangwali Holi (Dhuleti) – a free-for-all festival of colours, where people smear each other with colors and drench each other. Water guns and water-filled balloons are also used to play with and color each other. Anyone and everyone are fair game, friends or strangers, rich or poor, man or woman, children, and elders. The frolic and fight with colors occurs in the open streets, parks, outside temples and buildings. Groups carry drums and other musical instruments, go from place to place, sing, and dance. People visit family, friends, and foes come together to throw colored powders on each other, laugh and gossip, then share Holi delicacies, food, and drinks. In the evening, people dress up and visit friends and family.

For me, this is one of the most beautiful festivals and is capable of changing my mood from sadness to contagious euphoria.

I live with colors and being covered in colored powders on my face and clothes is a warming sensation.

Everyone should try this therapy of music, madness, joy, and hands and fingers that paint rainbows on your face at least once.

That Good wins over Evil through Colors is a splendid metaphor.