once more, the Fire of War threatens life in the world. It has become an explosive situation and everyone, in general, is afraid. It is also true that life everywhere has become critical with respect to health, political situations, finance, climate change and disruption of nature. Nobody can stand the heat of these fires, especially War Fire. War Fire is difficult to control. But fire is also essential, if it is a helpful or Holy Fire.
The only outcome of War Fire is destruction, while Holy Fire burns only negativity. Holy Fires clear a path for creativity to come forth. This is especially true for the Fire of Spring, when creativity blooms in nature, burning all negativity. We celebrate it as the festival of Holi.
In India, it is a great tradition to celebrate the Fire of Holi in the lunar month of Phalgun, roughly falling in March, as the mark of the arrival of Spring. The ritual fire is normally performed in a central community space in between houses. It burns the cold air to make it fresh and warm once again. The Holi Fire ritual is an action taken against negativity. Negativity in the form of hatred and enmity leads to more and more suppression and isolation. The Holi fire burns all negative and hard feelings, unwanted memories etc. and rekindles the warmth of the heart.
The Puranic story is that there was once a lady named Holika who had a boon that she could not be burned by fire. Her boon was misused by her demonic brother to try and burn his own son, Prahlad, for being a devotee of Lord Vishnu. Thus, with the bad intention of getting rid of that innocent and loving child, she entered the fire. But Prahlad, remained steadfast in concentration on the Lord and fire responded in its original nature as a purifier. It burned Holika, full of negativity, and protected the loving Prahlad, who walked out of the fire safely. Thus, Prahlad’s Love for God succeeded and the fact that fire’s purpose to purify was proven true.
From that time, Holi has been considered a very important festival, celebrated in individual families and community groups. Farmers celebrate Holi with the prayer for good harvests and gardeners celebrate it to welcome the new buds and flowers of Spring. Holi is a festival that celebrates joy. When seen from Ayurveda’s perspective, it is a therapeutic festival too. The exposure to the heat, at just the right time in the change of seasons, has the effect of melting away the accumulated Kapha of winter. Its results are similar to swedan or steam/sauna in Ayurvedic therapy.
Everyone knows about the famous colour festival called Holi. But until one has participated in the Holi Fire, by burning away all negativities, one cannot enjoy the beautiful colours of life that Spring brings in nature and in our lives, celebrated on the very next day of Rangpanchami!