Holi Celebrations: Local Culture Connects to Global Community

A beautiful Holi campfire or Holika Dahan took place in the Yoga Garden at Parmarth Niketan, Rishikesh on the eve of the Indian Festival of Colours, better known as Holi. The sacred fire was blessed and lit by Pujya Swamiji, Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswatiji, members of One Source Waking Up and many other pilgrims and devotees as the symbol of the victory of devotion and faith over ego and false pride.

The sacred fire is burnt all over India as a reminder of the beautiful story of Prahlad and the burning of his aunt Holika who conspired with her brother King Hiranyakashyapu to kill young Prahlad because he had unconditional and unwavering faith in God. King Hiranyakashyapu was a ruler filled with ego and false pride and thus deeply upset that his own son believed God to be more powerful then the king. Holika was unsuccessful in her plan to burn to death young Prahlad but was extinguished in her own fire of evil intentions.

There was a beautiful guided meditation and satsang afterwards.

Sadhvi Bhagawatiji explained, “Holi is a celebration of the vanquishing of evil by good and of the dispelling of darkness by light. It is also celebrated and known as the festival of love. But the goodness, the light and the love are not merely external like the powdered colors! Rather they should color the depths of our hearts and minds as well. Let these powders be a symbol of the coloring of our hearts and minds with light, love, peace and joy. Let the divine rang (colour) connect you deeply in your sangh (connection/association) with the Divine.”

Read Pujya Swamiji’s divine Holi blessing online, here.

The next day participants danced and sang with the divine music of Holi, they covered each other’s faces and filled the air with auspicious, organic, herbal colours of Holi. Beautiful flower petals were showered upon everyone as reminder to make every festival and every occasion a clean, green and natural one.
The divine Ganga Aarti on the evening of Holi was attended by Hon’ble Minister of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises, Shri Giriraj Singhji. He was blessed by Pujya Swamiji with a green Rudraksh sapling and had detailed discussions with Pujya Swamiji about various initiatives that the government could take on to diversify and increase small entreprises,igniting the spirit of social entrepreneurship as a viable means to implement sustainable solutions for Swachh Bharat and Namami Gange.

Click here to see photos!