There are number of festivals celebrated in India from which the festival of Holi is celebrated with great fun. It is also known as the festival of colors. It falls on the full moon day of the Phagun month or in the March month of the year. The festival is celebrated for enjoying the victory over the evil of good. It helps in bringing the people together by forgetting all of their disputes. People also celebrate this festival by lighting huge bone fires.
The festival of Choti holiday falls on a day before the Holi. It is also known as Holika Dahan or Small Holi. People also celebrate this festival by lighting huge bone fires. Many people use the left ashes from the bonfire for applying on their faces. It helps in protecting the people from the evils. There is a big story behind the Choti Holi and bonfires that was used to celebrate the Choti Holi. The bonfire is used to celebrate the victory of Prahlad over the evil of his father.
The story starts with an evil king Hiranyakashyap. He wants himself to be treated as a God including his son Prahlad. The son Prahlad started worship Lord Vishnu. He refused to follow his father. The king Hiranyakashyap failed many times to change the mind of his son. Holika was the sister of Hiranyakashyap. She was blessed with an advantage that she will not bun in the fire. Holika sits in the fire by taking Prahlad into her lap. Holika was dead by burning into the fire whereas Parhlad comes out of the fire without any harm. From that day, Holika Dahan is celebrated for the victory of good over evil.
The festival of Holi is also mentioned in the Puranas and Vedas. It is also said that the chanting of few mantras during the bone fire can destruct the demonic forces. So, on the day of Choti Holi people burn Holika, which is named as Holika Dahan. In this, a large stack of wood is placed in the center. It is covered by cow dung toys, beads, and many other things. On the top of the wood stack, an idol of Holika and Prahlada is placed. These idols are made up of cow dung. When the procedure of Holika Dahan starts the idol of Prahlada is taken out. The burning of Holika signifies the victory of good over evil.
Holi is the day after Holika Dahan. It is a festival of colors. It is celebrated in the whole parts of the country. People celebrate this day by throwing colors and water on each other. In some parts of Uttar Pradesh sticks are used to beat up men. There it is famous as Lathmar Holi. The festival of Holi is celebrated with flowers in the Banke Bihari temple of Vrindavan.
