Holi

 Holi is indeed holy. Most all of our festivals are symbolic. Holi is absolutely one such festival that is deeply symbolic. The demoness, Holika, burnt ceremonially this evening, signifies all that is evil, all that is demonic, all that is vicious within individuals as well as inside communities.

What all are the negativities in human beings? In fact, there are one too many even to merit any listing. In my opinion, however, the worst is ego. It is the devil, the incarnate demon that makes people chase the nadir the worst way. 

Can ego be controlled? Indeed why not? I do feel that it can be channelised positively. Once it so happens, such a person is never ever interested in wiping out someone else's line of fate, of identity, of being and becoming, so to say. 

Such a person, on the contrary, is so much involved in bettering his/her own line/self that all that could be dross gets burnt in the holy/Holi fire, and all that remains is sheer pure gold. The festival Holi basically signifies such self-purification in my opinion.

Given such deeper significance of the festival, rituals should not deter through devalued discussions. Let me give you an instance. Many people would believe that offering a puran poli to the sacred fire is a waste. Better give it to a poor person. 

In my opinion, any "dan" should be to a deserving person. Having read not only books on/about economics in addition to Brecht's "Three Penny Opera", a take on an eighteenth century play entitled 'The Beggar's Opera,' by John Gay, one knows that chicanery called the poor and poverty! Why, the use of children at busy traffic signals can exemplify the bitter and banal truth.

Better hence would be to continue the traditional rituals symbolically as token 'naiwaidya' and give the puran poli to the deserving, not the professional poor. Otherwise would begin the whataboutery about the ugly rituals in other faiths, right? 

In brief, let us all burn bitter arguments , and let the beautiful light of all that is the best in human beings and in the universe shine forth. That, in my opinion, is the real Holi.

Pratima@The festival Holi has a deeply emotional meaning for me. It is Aai's birth anniversary as per the tithi. Aai had the flame like brilliance and purity in her personality. Like the flame, she believed in always flaring upwards, being better constantly. She believed  in burning away bitterness-es consciously caused by others. So holy Holi is Aai who never carped on grouses, and instead believed in the 'from the darkness to light' feel of the Vaidic prayer.

Holi also has a tragic overtone for the last two years. Dhanu, 'Dhati' as my parents abbreviated her name 'Arundhati', Aai's beloved niece, succumbed to her kidney condition on the Holi day. Aai and Dhanu had a special bond which was thus cemented on the Holi day!