Why is Holi Celebrated? 2 Main Legends You Must Know

- By Anamika Mishra

We all know that Holi is the festival colour. We all know how it is celebrated (obviously, with playing colours etc). But many of us don’t know why is Holi celebrated. So, if you are one of those who are not sure why is Holi celebrated then this post is surely going to help you. I am a storyteller and I love to tell stories, especially the mythological legends. There are mainly 2 legends behind why we celebrate Holi. Read on to know:

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Story of Prahlad and Holika:

One of the most popular stories is the story of Prahlad and Holika. Prahlada was a devotee of Lord Vishnu, but his father, the demon king Hiranyakashipu, wanted him to worship him instead. When Prahlad refused to do so, his father tried to kill him with the help of his sister Holika, who had a boon that made her immune to fire. However, in the end, it was Holika who was burned to ashes, and Prahlad was saved by Lord Vishnu. This story is symbolic of the victory of good over evil.

This is the reason why we have burn a bonfire like huge pyre a night before the day we play colours. Many of the places have a Holika status attached to this pyre to symbolize this legend. The name ‘Holi’ is also derived from the name ‘Holika’. Burning of the pyre is known as Holika Dehen and is similar to the Ravana dehen on Dussehra.

Story of Radha Krishna:

Another story associated with Holi is the story of Shri Krishna and Radha. According to the legend, Shri Krishna was upset because of his dark complexion and wondered if the fair-skinned Radha would ever accept him. His mother, Yashoda, advised him to smear Radha’s face with colors and make her like him. This playful act is believed to have started the tradition of playing with colors during Holi.