Ramesh Tiwari

There was a time when people enjoyed small things during the Holi period, but now in this age of digital technology, people are busy reading endless mobile things or watching TV. A lot many of them get boozed up, tear their clothes off, have a barbaric dance and make a mess around everywhere. Very few show respect and reverence towards their elders, very few go to temples. Fashionable English schools and modern education system have spoiled our age old sophistication and sense of amiable social life. People seldom visit and see each other. Very few sprinkle each other with colours when most are quick to take offence at being sprayed a little. However, our Holi festival still breathes grace and charm as ever. I wish you all a very very Happy Holi !!

Stupidity has its fair share but it should be gentle. In my childhood, children sprayed people with colour weeks in advance of Holi and nobody felt upset. We would gather logs and firewood at the bank of our village pond a few days before and Pandit ji would light Holika early hours of Holi morning. Children, women, the young and elderly all would come and stand grouped around the fire, throwing cow dung cakes and plants of wheat and barley in it. Words cannot express how happy we were to play colours through noon till a group of our Kakas and Dadas went door to door, singing Dhamal. There would gather a big crowd where ever they went and the family playing host would offer tasty Gujhia and Betel to everyone there. Sadly, deshi Tharra has spoiled all charms of Holi today! Anyway, Happy Holi, everyone!

One day the gate keepers of Lord Vishnu, Jaya and Vijaya, annoyed Sanak, Sanandan, Sanat Kumar and, as a result, the kumars cursed them, saying they be demons. In Satyuga, the gate keepers had to be born on the earth as Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyaksha to sage Kashyapa and Diti, daughter of Daksha Prajapati. When the Varah avatar of Lord Vishnu killed Hiranyaksha, his elder brother Hiranyakashipu decided to take revenge on Vishnu. He worshiped Brahma with a view to gaining super powers. He underwent years of hard austerity and penance. At last, Brahma emerged and offered him anything that he wanted. He asked for the immortality but he was refused. Brahma, however, agreed to oblige him with alternative boons. He then requested that he not be killed by any living or nonliving entity, by god or demon and asked to grant him that he not die within or outside any house, nor on the ground or in the sky, not during the daytime or at night, that no weapon, nor man or any animal could kill him and