Stories Behind Holi-How To Celebrate Holi- Eco-Friendly Holi Celebration

Holi is  known as the ‘festival of colors’  and   celebrated we it on the full moon night day falling in the month of Phalguna (Feb-Mar).holi is favorite among people of  all age group

Significance of Holi

• Holi welcomes the spring season after winter.
•  It signifies the victory of good over evil
•  Holi celebration means spreading happiness and love. 
• The festival is also  related with  thanksgiving to God for a good harvest

The Ancient Stories Behind The Holi Festival

 Holi is associated with the legend of King Hiranyakashipu.
According to Hindu Granth Bhagavata Purana, Hiranyakashipu asura  King who got a special Vandana that he could neither be killed by a man or an animal. he assumes himself as God and forces everybody to worship him.
The king's son, Prahlada, was devoted to Lord Vishnu. Hiranyakashipu was enraged and exposed his son to wicked punishments. Finally, Holika, the evil sister of the king, tricked him into sitting on a pyre with her. While Holika possesses power she was immune to fire, but since she had bad intentions due to which she lost her power and burned to ash.  on the other side, Prahlad was saved., so the ritual of  Holika bonfire on Holi begins, which marks the victory of good over evil.

Radha Krishna ki Holi

 according  to Another story when  Putana, a monster, fed  Krishna with her breast milk Lord Krishna had acquired a peculiar blue skin color after. Krishna gets bothered if the fair- colored Radha and other gopis would ever like him because of his blue skin color. Then Yashoda maa  Krishna's mother suggested him go to Radha and color her face with his favorite color. The playful coloring steadily grow as a tradition and later, as a festival celebrated as Holi,

What is Lathmar Holi?

 in the Braj region of India. A popular form of Holi, called Lathmar Holi is celebrated in Barsana,, where women beat up men playfully  with sticks, like those on the subsidiary singing Shri Radhey'' or ''Sri Krishna.'' and men run around with shields to protect themselves

What are the main environmental concerns around Holi -

• The use of toxic chemical colors.
• The use of wood for burning Holi fires.
• The wasteful use of water during Holi.

1. Harmful Effects of Chemical Colours

Bright Holi colors made with the help of chemical solvents and toxic agents like lead oxide, mercury, and sulfide These can damage the eyes, skin, and lungs.  today The dry  and the wet colors contain chemicals,  lead and shiny particles of mica, which not only irritates the skin but collects on the scalp

In olden times people use parijat and Kesu trees. to prepare Holi colors from both trees have bright red flowers. These trees also possess many medicinal properties and Holi colors prepared from them were not harmful to the skin.

How to   Make natural Holi colors at home

 prepare your  natural Holi colors with these simple recipes at home
Yellow
1) turmeric (Haldi) powder
2) Boil Marigold or Tesu flowers in water

Yellow liquid color
Soak peels of pomegranate (Anar) overnight.
Deep Pink
Slice a beetroot and soak in water
Orange-red paste
powdered dried, Henna leaves (mehndi) can be mixed with water.

2. The Holi Bonfire

fuelwood burning to create the bonfire for Holika Dahan results in another serious environmental problem. To handle this problem we should encourage people for one symbolic community fire, to reduce wood consumption.

 3. Play a Dry Holi

It is common for people to splash each other with buckets of water during Holi. children play with water balloons. As a result, most cities in India are facing acute water scarcity,,.  In this situation, The idea of a dry Holi seems to be very effective to reduce water loss.

Benefits of Celebrating an Eco-Friendly Holi

Holi festival is meant to celebrate the arrival of Spring while the colors used in Holi are to reflect the various tinge of the spring season. But unfortunately, Holi has also become fiercely, loud and yet another source of environmental pollution. we should aware people to celebrate an eco-friendly Holi!