Panorama of colours

[1]

Raji P. Shrivastava [1]

Kama, the god of love, shot a flower-tipped arrow at a meditating Shiva but was burnt to ashes in the blaze of the three-eyed god’s fury. Pootana, a vicious demoness-turned-nursemaid, went out to fulfil a royal mandate to poison a certain infant to death — but lost her own life instead. Dhundi, a vile ogress particularly nasty to children, was shooed out of the kingdom by a band of boys hurling pebbles and abuses. Holika, a demoness with a boon that fire wouldn’t harm her, tried to destroy her virtuous nephew Prahlad — but was charred to ashes herself.

Yashoda, mythology’s most fortunate foster-mother, noticed that her son was upset at being dark-skinned while his companion was fair. “Here, take these coloured powders and daub Radha’s face in all the colours she looks best in!” Armed with perfumed water, vegetable dyes and a sense of mischief, the incorrigible prankster, Krishna, and his friends assembled to give this country a festival they will never stop celebrating as long as spring keeps arriving.
“Don’t spray me with your pichkari, Krishna. Can’t you see this pot of water on my head and the babe on my hips? My pot will shatter, my child will get wet and so will my multi-coloured chunri. My bejewelled necklace will break, my mother-in-law will be upset and my sister-in-law will rant at me…!” The rest is drowned in the giggles and shrieks of bandhni-clad women and the shouts of excited youth who will not take no for an answer.
Jayadeva’s poetic genius conjures up a springtime panorama of vibrant-hued flowers, delicate creepers, buzzing honeybees and melodious birdsong:
“Lalita lavanga lataa parisheelana komala malaya sameere
Madhukara nikara karambita kokila koojita kunja kuteere…”
The cooling breeze envelops the entire forest in the heady scents of the bakula, ketaki and malli as effectively as perfumed powder sprays, but it also burns the hearts of the lovelorn. Spring is a terrible time to be alone (virahi janasya durante), so the sakhi urges Radha to seek Krishna. (Gitagovind)
Holi is associated with as many myths as there are colours. We consign the evil and the undesirable to the bonfire. We get everyone together, even strangers, and celebrate with colours, scents, sweets and savouries.
Barsana, Nandgaon, Vrindavan, Mathura and Dwarka may be traditional addresses for those who seek an awesome Holi experience. But anyone with some initiative, a desire for fun and a cache of eco-friendly colours can star in this spring-time extravaganza right at their doorstep!

Raji P. Shrivastava can be reached at raji_1992@yahoo.co.in