Holikadahan

Narsinghavapurbhimam stambhasambhavamadbhutam!
Bhaktatranaya bibhranam Vasudevamupasmahe!!

Falguna Shukla 15 (Purnima). This day, every year, Holikadahan is celebrated.

Hiranyakashipu was king of Daityas (Demons). He had developed ill feelings for God Vishnu. He thought himself more powerful than Lord Vishnu and wished that everyone should worship him instead of any God including the most powerful Shri Hari Vishnu. He started giving pains to those who believed in God Vishnu and worshipped Him.

Hiranyakashipu had four sons. The youngest one was Prahlad. Prahlad was devotee of God Vishnu since his childhood. Hiranyakashipu tried to make him understand that he, his father, was most powerful in the universe, so, he (Prahlad) should worship him (Hiranyakashipu). Prahlad had his faith in Shri Hari Vishnu and he knew that He was the Almighty God. Bhakta Prahlad was unshaken. He did not give-up worshipping Vishnu.

Hiranyakashipu got angry over it and decided to kill Prahlad. He adopted several means to kill Prahlad, but, every time Prahlad was saved by Lord Vishnu. In his last but one effort, Hiranyakashipu utilized his sister, Holika, to kill Prahlad. Holika was blessed with a shawl which when she wore, the fire would not touch her and she would not be burnt in fire.

Hiranyakashipu convinced Holika to cover herself with the shawl and sit on bonfire with Prahlad in her lap. Hiranyakashipu thought that Prahlad would be burnt and killed by the fire and Holika will come out unhurt due to her shawl. But, the result was different. Bhakta Prahlad came out of the fire unhurt with shawl on his body due to blessings of Lord Vishnu. Holika was burnt to death in the fire.

The Good won over evil.

To commemorate this victory of the GOOD over evil, HOLIKADAHAN is celebrated.

People accumulate old house-hold wooden materials, farm-wastes, tree-branches and leaves etc. at a particular place in the mohalla / village; perform puja by midnight and light the fire in the accumulated lot. They also offer the special dishes (pakora, gujiya etc.) prepared this evening in their homes in the bonfire. People sing and dance around the bonfire.

The entire celebration is called HOLIKADAHAN and symbolizes the victory of Truth (God) over falsehood (everything else).

May God Vishnu remove all evils from your life!