”
Festival of Color
”
celebrated
Thousands of Indians from around the Bay Area, including some
from Hollister, gathered at the Hindu Temple and Community Center
in Sunnyvale March 3 to celebrate the coming of spring with the
Hindu festival know as Holi.
“Festival of Color” celebrated
Photos and Story By FANG H. LIANG
Pinnacle staff writer
Thousands of Indians from around the Bay Area, including some from Hollister, gathered at the Hindu Temple and Community Center in Sunnyvale March 3 to celebrate the coming of spring with the Hindu festival know as Holi.
The Holi celebration dates as far back as the seventh century in India and is set on the day after the full moon in early March or April of every year. The festival started as a celebration of good harvests and fertility, according to Indiaexpress.com, a Web site devoted to Indian culture. Now it serves as a commemoration of a Hindu legend, according to the site. The religious festival celebrates the triumph of good over evil. In the myth, a king jealous of his son Prahlada’s worship of Lord Vishnu. He tries to kill his son, but always fails. Finally the king tries to burn his son, but the king’s sister Holika, who is immune to fire, sits with him. Prince Prahlada survived the fire while his aunt died.
On the first night of Holi, families light bonfires and the next day they celebrate by smearing each other’s faces with colored powders known as “Gulal” and “Abeer”, and throwing colored water – or “Rang” – on each other. This tradition of throwing colored powders started out as a medical cure to some spring illnesses such as flu and colds. Traditionally the colored powders were made from medicinal herbs.
These days – here and in India – Holi is one of the lagest festivals celebrated by the Hindu community. It is celebrated with fun and good humor – it breaks away the barriers of castes. It includes everyone, from the religious elders to the mischievous teenagers who are bent on smearing colors onto their friends.
