Sunday Reading: Bonfire (Holika Dahan)

Hello friends!!

Today I am going to share my knowledge and my reading about the bonfire. This task given by Dr Dilip Barad sir so let's view my blog on Holika Dahan.

Brief information about the Bonfire:

A bonfire is a large and controlled outdoor fire, used either for informal disposal of burnable waste material or as part of a celebration.

The literal meaning of the bonfire is a large open-air fire on which bones are burnt and it is derives from the term balefyre from a time when the corpses of witches, heretics and other nonconformists were burned on a pyre instead of being buried in consecrated ground. When we heard the term Bonfire Night then we characterised it with firework and celebration, but do you know how this tradition was started.

As opposed to high-temperature incinerators, bonfires also tend to produce more carbon monoxide, which is harmful when breathed in and can form toxic ozone. As Milbourn puts it: "It almost doesn't matter what you burn but, instead, how you burn it." ... Some people are more creative with what they burn.

History behind the tradition of Bonfire Night:

Here I find one reference regarding History of Bonfire. So first of all I gave some brief information on where Bonfire started. 

The history bonfire night is part of a 400 year old tradition that began in Great Britain. In Great Britain, 5th November marked as the day of celebration and fireworks because on this day in 1605 AD, the conspiracy to blow up the British Parliament was foiled. This day is celebrated as the thanksgiving for the plot's failure.

The whole episode of conspiracy was plotted when Protestant King James I came to power and English Catholics hoped that their new kings grant them the freedom to practice their religion but it was not happening. Then they assemble to kill the King and blow the House of Lords.

It was Guy Fawkes who managed to arrange 36 barrels of gunpowder to be placed under House Lords. But he was caught red-handedly before he could do any damage.

He hanged till death before hanging him, his testicles were cut off. After his death, his dead body was quartered and each part was sent to the four corners of the kingdom as a warning to others against performing this sort of uprising or attack. From that day, Bonfire was started as a national thanksgiving from November 5, 1606 AD.

 1) How many countries celebrate Bonfire? Why? (If you can find reasons? Are there common reasons?)

Celebrations are held throughout Great Britain; in some non-Catholic communities in Northern Ireland; and in some other parts of the Commonwealth. In many areas of the UK, celebrations also feature funfairs, family entertainment, and special food and drinks.

 Why??

The word is actually derived from Middle English bonfire, meaning literally "a fire of bones." (Way cooler etymology, right?) The earliest appearance of the word is glossed ignis ossium—Latin for "fire of bones." And a citation from the 15th century confirms that this is not just a learned folk-etymology.

Then I wrote here countries name which countries celebrate this festival:

2) What are the rituals around such celebrations?

Rituals of the ancient festival of Holi are religiously followed every year with care and enthusiasm. 

Preparations of Bordure:

Days before the festival people start gathering wood for the lighting of the bonfire called Holika at the major crossroads of the city. This ensures that at the time of the actual celebration a huge pile of wood is collected.

Holika Dahan Celebrations:

Then on the eve of Holi, Holika Dahan takes place. Effigy of Holika, the devil minded sister of demon King Hiranyakashyap is placed in the wood and burnt. For, Holika tried to kill Hiranyakashyap's son Prahlad, an ardent devotee of Lord Naarayana. The ritual symbolises the victory of good over evil and also the triumph of a true devotee.

Children also hurl abuses at Holika and pray pranks, as if they still try to chase away Dhundhi who once troubled little ones in the Kingdom of Prithu. Some people also take embers from the fire to their homes to rekindle their own domestic fires.

Play of Colors in these festival:

Next day, is of course the main day of Holi celebrations. The day is called Dhuleti and it is on this day that the actual play of colours take place. There is no tradition of holding puja and is meant for pure enjoyment.

The tradition of playing colours is particularly rampant in north India and even in that region, there can be no comparison to the Holi of Mathura and Vrindavan. In Maharashtra and Gujarat too Holi is celebrated with lot of enthusiasm and fun.

3) Is there any story or myth around those celebrations? Write about various myths around bonfire. About the myths believed in by Vaishnavites and Shaivites in India. In which myth do you believe more than the other one.

Holi is one of the most important festivals in India. It is celebrated with full of enthusiasm on the full moon day, in the month of Phalgun, which is in month of March as per the Gregorian calendar. Holi is considered as one of the major festivals in India.

The Holi festival may be celebrated in various names and people of different states might be following different traditions. But, what makes Holi so Unique and special is the spirit of the festival. Which remains the same throughout the globe, wherever it is celebrated.

Holi is one of those ancient Hindu festival which has become popular with non-Hindus in many parts of the world.

 

Why is the demoness Holika worshipped on Holi?

Holika Dahan ceremony is an integral part of the Holi festival. A night before Holi, people lit a huge bonfire known as Holika Dahan to commemorate the burning of the Demoness Holika, the sister of Demon King Hiranyakashyap. This year, the Holika Dahan ceremony will be held on Sunday, March 28, 2021.

Holika Dahan 2021 Date, Muhurata, and Significance

Demon King Hiranyakashyap was an enemy of Lord Vishnu but his son Prahlada was an ardent Lord Vishnu devotee. Hiranyakashipu didn't approve of his son's devotion to Lord Vishnu and planned to kill Prahlada with the help of his sister Holika. Demoness Holika has a shawl gifted by Lord Brahma that protected her from fire. Holika lured Prahlada to sit with her in a huge bonfire. But as the fire lit, Prahlada prayed to Lord Vishnu to keep him safe. So Lord Vishnu summoned a gust of wind to blow the shawl off of Holika and on to Prahlad, saving him from the flames of the bonfire and burning Holika to her death.

But why demoness Holika is worshipped?

In Hindu religion it's believed that doing Holika puja on Holi bestows power, prosperity and wealth. All sorts of fear can be conquered by doing Holika Puja on Holi. It is believed that Holika was created to ward off all sorts of fear, hence, although a Demoness, Holika is worshipped along with Prahlada before Holika Dahan.

Here I wrote three stories behind the Holi festival:

The First story is about Holika, prahlad and Hiranyakashipu:

We  can see that for many traditions in Hinduism, Holi celebrates the death of Holika who died in prefer to save prahlad, and we can see where holi gets its name.

The night before Holi, pyres are burnt in North India in keeping with this tradition. It is should also be noted that in some parts of India the day is actually called Holika. There are other activities associated with the story of prahlad,but the burning of Holika is the one that we can most directly associate with Holi.

So, what is the story or myth?

According to Bhagavat Purana, once a demon king Hiranyakashipu wanted to be immortal. So, to fulfill this desire,he performed the required penances until he was granted a boon by Brahma. Since the Gods rarely granted immortality, he used his guile and cunning thoughts to get a boon that he thought made him immoral.

Though different puranas have different tellings of the boon, here we are going to say about the most popular one. Hiranyakashipu asked Brahma for five special powers: 

1. He couldn't be killed bya human being or an animal.
2. He couldn't be killed indoors or outdoors.
3. He couldn't be killed by Astra (projectile weapons) or by and shastra (Handheld weapons).
4. He couldn't be killed neither on hand nor in water or air.

As this wish was granted, Hiranyakashipu felt invincible, which made him arrogant. He decreed that only he should be worshipped as a God. He punished and killed anyone who did not accept his orders. But his son prahlad disagreed with him and refused to worship him as a God. He continued believing and worshipping Lord Vishnu. This made Hiranyakashipu very angry and he made various attempts to kill prahlad. During a particular attempt on prahlad's life king Hiranyakashipu called upon his sister Holika for help. 

Holika had a special cloak garment that prevented her from being harmed by fire. Hiranyakashipu asked her to sit on a bonfire with prahlad, by tracking the boy to sit on her lap. However, as the fire roared the garment flew from Holika and covered prahlad. Holika burnt to death and prahlad came out unharmed.

This story is known as Holika Dahan ( Holika's death), which signifies the triumph of good and evil. Holika is associated with the annual bonfire on the night before Holi, the Hindu Festival of colours.

The second story is associated with the immortal love of Radha and Krishna.

It was krishna, the king of Dwarka, who popularized the tradition of Holi. The origin of the colourful and playful tone of Holi lies in the boyhood of krishna. Kansa, king of Vrishni, and uncle of krishna, sensed danger to his infant nephew when he grows up.

Kansa sent the demon pootna, disguised as a women, to poison the infant under the guise of breastfeeding. Baby krishna sucks not only the poisonous milk but pootna's blood too transforming her back into a demon. She ran and burst into flames while the infant krishna transitioned into his characteristic dark blue skin color. The day before phagwah is celebrated by burning putna.

According to the tales, in his youth, krish a was sad about fair-skinned Radha. He also doubted whether Radha or other Gosip world like him because of his dark skin. His mother,tired of the desperation, asked him to approach Radha and colour her face in and colour he wanted.

Krishna did this, and he and Radha became a couple. The playful colouring of the face of Radha has, henceforth, been celebrated as Holi. The 'Holi' play of Krishna and Radha with Gosip is well documented in hundreds of ancient painting, murals, and scriptures. 

There is also another story behind Holi that involves a burning sacrifice for the sake of love:

The story of shiv and kamdev. Before lord shiva was married to Goddess Parvati, kamdeva (God of love) and his wife Rati (Goddess of love) tried to help Goddess Parvati to win Shiva as her husband.

Kamdev shot his arrow at shiva to disturb his meditation, and to make him marry Parvati. But the disturbance caused Shiva to open his third eye and it's powerful gaze burned kamadeva into ashes and his wife Rati was heart-broken. Although we don't know whether the arrow did work or not, Shiva and Parvati did marry. 

At their wedding, Rati begged Shiva to bring kamdev back to her. Shiva agreed and restored kamdev as a virtual image with true emotions. Seeing this,all the Gods and Goddesses showered colours from the heaven.

In some part of India, especially in Bangal and Orissa, Holi Purnima is also celebrated asthe birthday of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Thank you...