Two Key Takeaways in Celebrating Holi Festival

CHENNAI: Holi, the name that wells up so much emotion from within and  adds colours to our monotonous life. People across India and in some parts of world celebrate this festival by applying colours on each other’s faces and and sprinkle coloured water through syringes. In the present context, Holi has lost its sheen and glory and merely become a day to chill out and make merry with friends like another holiday!

All of us can learn two key lessons from the festival that is celebrated for two days. On day one people have a bonfire, offer prayers and throw cereals or parched grains, twigs, dried leaves, branches of trees into the fire. One must learn that by lighting the ‘Holy fire’ we also brighten the light within us through meditation and burn all our five vices along with our body perception that signifies ‘Holika’ and liberate ourselves to attain our original identity.

On day two, we all play with lots of colours. The colour signifies our character, so in a way we all have different colours depending upon our nature. The reason behind applying colour is to express joy. But today that happiness has made way for unruly and inappropriate behaviour. In essence the process of applying different colours on each other teaches us that we should make our life colourful, should  experience Almighty’s company and spray scented water of his pure love  on each other and become identical like him in form, colour and attributes.

If Holi is celebrated in its true sense, then there would be no waste of our natural resources like water, there would be no pollution through synthetic colours and there would be no health issues that come with celebrating festivals in an  unmindful way. Let us celebrate Holi by becoming a ‘holy soul’ and liberate society from all unholyness.