The
Chir has been hoisted in Basantapur on Wednesday, which means that the
joyous season of Holi - a time of fun and games and girl-teasing - is
upon us.
This festival celebrates the exploits, fun and games of Lord Krishna, one of the favorite avatars of Lord Vishnu, who incarnated at Mathura and spent His childhood and youth on the banks of the holy Jamuna river in Vrindaban, among cow boys and milk maidens.
This festival celebrates the exploits, fun and games of Lord Krishna, one of the favorite avatars of Lord Vishnu, who incarnated at Mathura and spent His childhood and youth on the banks of the holy Jamuna river in Vrindaban, among cow boys and milk maidens.
The name
Holi refers to the death of the demoness Holika who tried to annihilate
her nephew Prahlada, a great devotee of Vishnu, by jumping into a fire
holding Prahlada in her arms. Much to Holika's surprise it was
she who perished in the flames while Prahlada was spared by the grace
of Vishnu.
Ritual
burning of Holika
In
kathmandu, a week before the holiday which falls on the
full-moon, a long bamboo pole, topped with fringes of colorful cloth,
called the chir is erected in front of the Kumari's house in the
Basantpur area of the old royal palace.
The chir pole commemorates Shri Krisna's teasing of some of the gopis (milk maidens) by hiding their clothes in a tree while they were bathing in the sacred Jamuna.
The chir pole commemorates Shri Krisna's teasing of some of the gopis (milk maidens) by hiding their clothes in a tree while they were bathing in the sacred Jamuna.
From
the moment the chir is hoisted, for the next eight or nine
days the period of playing with colors
reigns. People douse each other with water and throw vermilion
powder on each other.
The
play is particularly intense, but still fun, on the 3 last days leading
up to full moon day. Ethnic groups from the Terai and Indians
celebrate the festival for one day longer. Holi is celebrated
with great fervor all over north India. Many people, including
women and children, eat or drink bhang, a preparation of marijuana and
spices which only adds to the revelry, fervor, and fun.
Late in the afternoon of the full moon day the chir is lowered and taken to the Thundikhel field in central Kathmandu where it is ceremonially burnt, like Holika was. Playing with color is now officially over, and normal, well-behaved and decorous life resumes.
Late in the afternoon of the full moon day the chir is lowered and taken to the Thundikhel field in central Kathmandu where it is ceremonially burnt, like Holika was. Playing with color is now officially over, and normal, well-behaved and decorous life resumes.
Here's wishing you all a joyous, wet, wild and wonderful
Holi !
Ps. On the 12th, Seto
Macchendranath has a bath in preparation for his chariot ride two weeks
later...
Love and Pranams,
Billy
Billy