Google celebrates Holi with vibrant colors
Google came up with an attractive and colorful doodle to celebrate Holi 2016. The 'Google Doodle' portrays the traditional Google logo being showered by gulaal and dry color powders at the click of the 'play' button. Google posted the Holi gulaal doodle on its homepages of 11 countries which include India, Canada, Sweden, Latvia, Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Indonesia.
What is Holi?
Holi is the Hindu festival of colors, that is celebrated in India to mark the arrival of the spring season in the country. Holi is celebrated on Purnima, the full-moon day of Phalgun, the Hindu month. It is a two-day festival starting on the full-moon day; the first day is known as Chhoti Holi/Holika Dahan and the second day is known as Dhulandi/Rangwali Holi.
History behind celebrating ‘Holi’
Holi marks the victory of good over evil, and there are several Hindu legends associated with Holi. The most popular legend is of a demon king Hiranyakashyap, his sister Holika and his son Prahlad. Hiranyakashyap ordered his sister Holika to kill Prahlad by entering a blazing fire. But, Prahlad was saved by Lord Vishnu for his devotion while Holika was burnt to ashes.
Another legend behind Holi goes…
Another legend is of a demon Pootana, who was killed by Lord Krishna when she tried to kill him by feeding him poison. Some people celebrate Holi and believe that Pootana represents winter, and her death is the end of winter.
How is ‘Holi’ celebrated?
On the eve of Holi, people celebrate 'Holika Dahan' by burning pyres to represent burning Holika to death. People celebrate the triumph of devotion and victory of good over evil. On the second day, Dhulandi/Rangwali Holi, people celebrate by applying ashes from the fire and play with colors. Playing with colors represents the unity and equality of all shades of people without any discrimination.
Kama Dahanam celebrated in South India
In South India, 'Kama Dahanam' similar to 'Holika Dahan' is celebrated on Holi. They worship Kamadeva, the Hindu god of love, for his sacrifice to repeal interest in worldly matters in Lord Shiva by shooting an arrow at him.
President, PM greet nation on Holi eve
President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended their wishes to the people of India on the eve of Holi. In his message, the President stated that Holi symbolizes the colors of India's diverse multicultural society and spirit of tolerance. He added that he believed the festival would bring the spirit of pluralism and strengthen the fraternal bonds between the citizens of India.
Breaking age-old traditions
Bidding age-old traditions goodbye, over thousand widows played with colors on the occasion of Holi at the Vrindavan temple. Widows from Varanasi joined them to participate in the Holi celebrations at the Gopinath temple. Around 1200 kilograms of gulaal and 1500 kilograms of flower petals were arranged for them according to Bindeshwar Pathak, founder of Sulabh International, who organized the event.
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