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Holi |
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Holi
Hai !! |
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The
alluringly mistletoe trees are an inseparable part
of the Christmas celebrations, and a lot of
painstaking effort from each of the family members
goes into decorating one. The twinkling lights,
the dazzling gifts and the delicious chocolates
adds to its the glamour. But very few know about
its origin and the reason behind the tradition. |
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Here
is some light on how it all started… Pagans used
trees as part of their religious ceremonies.
The Druids decorated Oak trees with fruit and
candles in honour of their Gods of the Harvest.
During the Roman festival of Saturnalia, trees
were decorated with gifts and candles. The Vikings
regarded evergreen coniferous trees as symbols
that the darkness of winter would end and that
spring would return.
One legend tells of St. Boniface who encountered
some German pagans about to sacrifice a child at
the base of an Oak tree. He cut down the Oak to
prevent the sacrifice and a Fir tree grew in its
place. St Boniface told the pagans that this was
the Tree of Life and represented Christ.
Another legend ascribes the Xmas tree to Martin
Luther, the founder of Protestantism. The legend
tells how Luther saw the stars shining through the
branches of a forest as he walked at night giving
him an impression of twinkling lights. The beauty
of this so impressed him that he cut down a small
evergreen and brought it into his home to recreate
the scene using lighted candles on the tree's
branches.
Germany seems to have started the use of a
decorated tree as part of Xmas. When trees were
scarce a wooden pyramid was sometimes used and
this would be decorated with branches and candles.
In Britain the Xmas tree tradition was popularised
in 1841 by Prince Albert and Queen Victoria, (both
of German descent), who decorated a tree at
Windsor Castle with candles, fruits, gingerbread
and sweets. The use of the Xmas tree spread to
America with German emigrants.
Nowadays the Xmas tree, (real or synthetic), is
seen worldwide in homes, Churches, workplaces and
cities. A famous tree is the one placed every year
in Trafalgar Square, London, a gift from the
people of Norway in gratitude for the help that
Britain gave during World War II. |
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Legends |
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Legend
One
The legend of King Hiranyakashipu is associated with the
festival of Holi. This legend signifies the victory of
good over evil, of devotion surpassing ambition. King
Hiranyakashipu was an ambitious ruler, one who wanted
absolute power so that he would be worshipped as God.
When this wish was made known the King's own son,
Prahlad, refused to obey his father. |
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Prahlad
was an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu, and it was only to
his Lord that he gave allegiance. The proud King was
enraged by Prahlad's disobedience and decided to punish
him severely. He asked his sister Holika for help. It
was believed that Holika was immune to fire and would
never be burnt, so the King asked Holika to sit in the
centre of a bonfire with Prahlad on her lap, so that the
fire could devour him. The bonfire was lit, and young
Prahlad sat in Holika's lap, in its centre, praying to
Lord Vishnu. His devotion saved him, leaving him
untouched by the flames, but Holika was burnt to ashes.
To mark this legend, huge bonfires are lit on the eve of
Holi, especially in Bihar and the North.
Legend
Two
Vrindavan and Lord Krishna's legend of courting Radha
and playing pranks on the Gopis are also the essence of
Holi. In Hindu mythology, Lord Krishna in his youth has
been idealised as a lover, and it is the spirit of his
light-hearted, mischievous passion of courtship that
enters the Spring festival of Holi. Krishna and Radha
are depicted celebrating Holi in the hamlets of Gokul,
Barsana and Vrindavan, bringing them alive with mischief
and youthful pranks. Holi was Krishna and Radha's
celebration of love - a teasing, affectionate panorama
of feeling and colour. These scenes have been captured
and immortalised in the songs of Holi: the festival that
is also the harbinger of the light, warm, beautiful days
of Spring.
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