Holi 2023: Date, History and Significance
Holi 2023 celebration: As the festival of colours has arrived and celebration preparations are well begun. Holi is a celebration of life, happiness, and, of course, intimate relationships to family. India, a country with many different cultures and traditions, celebrates Holi with joy all around the country. In some regions of India, Holi is also observed as a “spring festival”. Holi will be celebrated on March 7 and 8 in 2023. The ceremony for Holi entails lighting up a bonfire one day before Holi as it signifies the victory of ‘good over evil’. On the evening of the Purnima full moon day in the month of Falgun, the festival gets under way.
The Drik Panchang states that this year’s Choti Holi, or the first day of Holi, will be held on March 7. The muharat for Holika Dahan in 2023 is scheduled to run from 6:24 pm to 8:51 pm. The following day, on March 8, holi will be celebrated with loved ones and colourful decorations. Also, some view this as saying “hello” to summer and “goodbye” to the winter.
History
The death of “Hollika” is the most known event related to Holi. According to Hindu culture, Hiranyakashyapu utilised the assistance of her sister Holika to assassinate Prahalad after he continued to defy his father Hiranyakashyapu’s commands and worship to Lord Vishnu. Holika sat in a bonfire with Prahalad on her lap because she was immune to flames. She continued to burn alive after that, but Prahlad was unharmed. As a result, “Holika Dahan” is observed one day prior to Holi.
Significance in different regions of India
In addition to the colourful celebration, on this day, homes are filled with the mouthwatering aroma of sweet and delectable sweet treats, which adds a spark to the festival celebration. During Holi, traditional Thandai, Gujjiya, Malpua, Puran Poli, and Bhang are frequently seen as popular beverages and foods.
Holi is celebrated in a massive manner in Mathura, one of the most well-known locations for this event. Since Mathura is renowned for being the birthplace of Lord Krishna, people go from all over the world to take part in the city’s great celebrations. During the nine-day festival that takes place in this location, people have a lot of pleasure playing with flowers and colours. Holi is celebrated there with numerous dry colours, water balloons, and water cannons. Keep an eye out for the lavish celebrations around the “Banke Bihari Temple” in Mathura. Other well-known locations include Barsana, where “Lath Mar Holi” is celebrated. In this culture, it is customary for women to beat males with sticks while the men defend themselves with shields. Holi is celebrated as a “Dol Jatra” in West Bengal, complete with singing and dancing.
On Holi, people in South India worship Kamadeva, the god of love, whereas in Uttarakhand, Kumaoni Holi is celebrated with the raga singing tradition. In Bihar, it is customary for individuals to clean their homes before going to the festival. It is known as “Hola Mohalla” in Punjab and is observed differently. They demonstrate their martial arts, particularly “kushti,” and rejoice with colours on this day. Udaipur’s Holi celebrations give the city a regal appearance. A gourmet dinner and magnificent pyrotechnics are followed by traditional folk dances and singing.
