Next Sunday, March 15th, Toronto’s Hare Krishna temple will be celebrating Holi! Marking the time when the harvest has been completed and winter also ending, Holi is pre-eminently a festival of mirth and merriment.
Holi is also associated with the story of Holika, the sister of demon Hiranyakasipu. The demon-father, having failed in various other ways to make his son Prahlada denounce Lord Krishna, finally asked his sister Holika to take Prahlada in her lap and enter a blazing fire. Holika, who had a boon to remain unscathed by fire, did her brother’s bidding. But lo, Holika’s boon ended by this act of supreme sin against the Lord’s devotee and was herself burnt to ashes and Prahlada came out unharmed.
Normally, Holi is associated with the throwing of powdered colours in a mood of joy and merriment. However, while the Hare Krishna temple is always the first to promote fun and exhuberant celebrations, we humbly ask that people not bring powdered colours. When thrown, they get into the floors and walls and cannot be removed even after thorough cleaning.
We promise if you leave the colours at home, the Hare Krishna temple will give you a spiritual festival that you will not soon forget! More details of Holi celebrations will be posted on the blog later this week, so stay tuned!