To celebrate the arrival of spring and welcome the season of flowers and colors, I have decided to offer you this article in which I will tell you the legend of one of the sacred Hindu holidays, most “felt” by the population: the holi festival . HOLI FESTIVAL: THE PARTY OF COLORS WITH CHILDREN!

Who among us hasn’t heard of Holi Festival in recent years ?

We probably know it as a tourist attraction color festival where people gather, dance, sing and throw colored powders (Gulal) at each other .

In Italy, as in other parts of the world, there are now many appointments that are scheduled for this event.

However, the festival of Holi has very ancient roots, it could date back almost three hundred years before the birth of Christ. It is a democratic party because it involves all people, regardless of age, sex or caste. The prelude to the celebrations coincides with the months of February and March, precisely with the last full moon night of the Hindu month.

The legend of Prahlad: HOLI FESTIVAL

The protagonists of this legend are: Hiranyakashipu , god of demons, the son Prahlad, who is very devoted to the god of good Vishnu  and finally the daughter of Hiranyakashipu named Holika.

The story centers on the figure of Hiranyakashipu, the arrogant king who tried to avenge the death of his younger brother killed by Vishnu. Prahlad, in spite of his paternal order, continued to be devoted to the god Vishnu, so much so that he suffered several killing attempts by his father.

Hiranyakashipu , in fact, organized the last assassination attempt to send Prahlad to the stake and, together with his sister Holika (immune to fire), set up a pyre to burn Holika and Prahlad together. However, Prahalad’s devotion to Vishnu and faith saved him from the fire, while Holika, surprisingly, burned under the ashes. Thus was decreed the triumph of Prahlad (as the personification of good) and the defeat of Holika (as the incarnation of evil).

I decided to tell you this legend because even today, in India, on the eve of the Holi festival, bonfires are lit to recall this mythological event but above all to decree the triumph of good over evil, annihilating (metaphorically) the evil spirits with the fire. The party is a real hymn to joy, it honors rebirth with the arrival of spring and with the dried flowers these colored powders are produced that are thrown into the streets of the city, painting houses and people of a thousand colors, as if they were gods. real rainbows.

Don’t you think it can also be a great activity to do with your children?

You could combine culture, learning, manual skills, creativity, and many colors!

Good evening