How Holi got its name and what the festival signifies

Happy Holi 2022: India is celebrating the festival of colours today.

Indians are celebrating Holi today, a day full of colours, food and dance, to mark the arrival of the spring season. Holi is also significant for it symbolises the victory of good over evil.

What is the story behind Holi and how did the festival get its name? The answer lies in the legend of Prahlad and Holika.

Legend has it that Prahlad was the son of Hiranyakashyap, a demon king who ruled over the earth. The king wanted to be worshipped by all his subjects. But his own son was a worshipper of Lord Vishnu.

This angered Hiranyakashyap and he tried to Prahlad get thrown off a cliff and trampled under an elephant’s foot. But his attempts to kill the child did not work as Lord Vishnu always protected him.

Eventually, Hiranyakashyap asked his sister Holika for help. Holika had the power to stay unharmed by fire so she asked Pralhad to come sit with her on a pyre.

What Holika did not know that she had to enter the fire alone for the boon to work. She ended up being burnt while Pralhad, who was chanting Lord Vishnu’s name the whole time, was unhurt.

Holi, named after Holika, celebrates this triumph of good over evil. A night before Holi, people light a bonfire and pray for any evil in their minds to be destroyed. This ritual is called Holika Dahan.

On the day of Holi, people splash each other with colours and dance at gatherings with their families and friends.