Holika Dahan

Holika Dahan is celebrated a day prior to the festival of colours, Holi which is also known as Dhulandi. Holika Dahan literally means burning of ‘Holika’ who was a demoness of the ancient vedic era. On the night of Holika Dahan, holy pyres are lit in various parts of the country to acknowledge the triumph of Lord Vishnu over the demoness Holika in order to save his disciple Prahlad. This legend is a testimonial of the power that bhakti of a true and devoted disciple holds. This festival reminds us to always keep faith on ourselves and in what we truly believe in.

This year, Holika Dahan will be celebrated on the 12th of March, 2017 followed by the festival of Holi on the 13th of March.

Muhurat

Significance

Holika Dahan has a peculiar connotation to it. Holashtak is an eight day duration, observed from the eighth day of the bright half moon of the month Phalgun to the full moon night of the same month. This time period is considered to be impious and inauspicious. All festivities and auspicious events are put on hold during this period. The Holika Dahan festival is celebrated on the last day of Holashtak i.e. on the full moon night of the month of Phalgun. The festival of Colours, Holi, is celebrated with much exuberance and fervour on the following day of Holika Dahan. The pyre of Holika bespeaks of the victory of good over evil. The legend of the devotee Prahlad and King Hiranyakashyap is brought to life every year through this festival of Holika Dahan. This event is a reminder as well as a warning to all those walking down the trail of wrongdoings and asks them to retrieve as the consequences of such deeds are atrocious.

Puja Vidhi

The vidhi for Holika Dahan varies slightly in different parts of the nation. As per the most commonly accepted Puja Vidhi for Holika Dahan, the Puja is held in the following manner.

• Prepare a pyre of wood and combustible items. You may decorate it with colours or Holi powder and garlands.
• Keep all the things to be used in the Puja such as roli, unbroken grains of rice, a small pot of water and flowers in your Puja plate.
• Sit for the Puja, facing either towards the East or North direction and sprinkle some water on yourself and on the Puja plate while chanting the following Mantra thrice to purify the Puja place. In many regions of the country, devotees take the burning firewood from the public Holika pyre to light the Holika pyre at their homes.

ऊँ पुण्डरीकाक्ष: पुनातु।

ūm̐ puṇḍarīkākṣa: punātu।

As we chant this Mantra, we invoke Lord Vishnu and seeks his blessings as we commence the Holika Puja Vidhi.

• Now take some water, a few grains of rice, some flower petals and a coin in your right hand to take the following sankalp.

ऊँ विष्णु: विष्णु: विष्णु: श्रीमद्भगवतो महापुरुषस्य विष्णोराज्ञया अद्य दिवसे ________ (संवत्सर का नाम लें e.g. विश्वावसु) नाम संवत्सरे संवत् ________ (e.g. 2069) फाल्गुन मासे शुभे शुक्लपक्षे पूर्णिमायां शुभ तिथि ________ (e.g. मंगलवासरे) ________ गौत्र (अपने गौत्र का नाम लें) उत्पन्ना ________ (अपने नाम का उच्चारण करें) मम इह जन्मनि जन्मान्तरे वा सर्वपापक्षयपूर्वक दीर्घायुविपुलधनधान्यं शत्रुपराजय मम् दैहिक दैविक भौतिक त्रिविध ताप निवृत्यर्थं सदभीष्टसिद्धयर्थे प्रह्लादनृसिंहहोली इत्यादीनां पूजनमहं करिष्यामि।

ūm̐ viṣṇu: viṣṇu: viṣṇu: śrīmadbhagavato mahāpuruṣasya viṣṇorājñayā adya divase ________ (take the name of your saṃvatsara e.g. viśvāvasu) nāma saṃvatsare saṃvat ________ (mention the currently prevalent year e.g. 2069) phālguna māse śubhe śuklapakṣe pūrṇimāyāṃ śubha tithi ________ (mention the prevalent day e.g. maṃgalavāsare) ________ gautra (take the name of your gautra ) utpannā ________ (take your name ) mama iha janmani janmāntare vā sarvapāpakṣayapūrvaka dīrghāyuvipuladhanadhānyaṃ śatruparājaya mam daihika daivika bhautika trividha tāpa nivṛtyarthaṃ sadabhīṣṭasiddhayarthe prahlādanṛsiṃhaholī ityādīnāṃ pūjanamahaṃ kariṣyāmi।

By taking the sankalp, we mark the prevailing Hindu Tithi, place of worship, the name and surname of the person who is doing the Puja, the purpose of the Puja and the God whose blessings are being seeked.

• Now take a few flower petals and some rice in your right hand and chant the following Mantra to remember Lord Ganesh.

गजाननं भूतगणादिसेवितं कपित्थजम्बूफलचारुभक्षणम्।
उमासुतं शोकविनाशकारकं नमामि विघ्नेश्वरपादपमजम्।।

gajānanaṃ bhūtagaṇādisevitaṃ kapitthajambūphalacārubhakṣaṇam।
umāsutaṃ śokavināśakārakaṃ namāmi vighneśvarapādapamajam।।

• Take a flower and apply roli and rice on it, while chanting the following Mantra and offer it to Lord Ganesh.

ऊँ गं गणपतये नम: पंचोपचारार्थे गंधाक्षतपुष्पाणि समर्पयामि।

ūm̐ gaṃ gaṇapataye nama: paṃcopacārārthe gaṃdhākṣatapuṣpāṇi samarpayāmi।

• Now, take another flower and apply roli and rice on it while chanting the following Mantra and offer it to Goddess Ambika.

ऊँ अम्बिकायै नम: पंचोपचारार्थे गंधाक्षतपुष्पाणि सर्मपयामि।।

ūm̐ ambikāyai nama: paṃcopacārārthe gaṃdhākṣatapuṣpāṇi sarmapayāmi।।

• Again, take a different flower and apply roli and rice on it while chanting the following Mantra and offer it to Lord Narsimha.

ऊँ नृसिंहाय नम: पंचोपचारार्थे गंधाक्षतपुष्पाणि समर्पयामि।।

ūm̐ nṛsiṃhāya nama: paṃcopacārārthe gaṃdhākṣatapuṣpāṇi samarpayāmi।।

• Thereafter, take another flower and apply roli and rice on it while chanting the following Mantra and offer it to devotee Prahlad.

ऊँ प्रह्लादाय नम: पंचोपचारार्थे गंधाक्षतपुष्पाणि समर्पयामि।।

ūm̐ prahlādāya nama: paṃcopacārārthe gaṃdhākṣatapuṣpāṇi samarpayāmi।।

• Now, stand facing the pyre and fold your hands while chanting the following Mantra and requesting the almighty to fulfil your wishes.

असृक्पाभयसंत्रस्तै: कृता त्वं होलि बालिशै:
अतस्त्वां पूजयिष्यामि भूते भूतिप्रदा भव:।।

asṛkpābhayasaṃtrastai: kṛtā tvaṃ holi bāliśai:
atastvāṃ pūjayiṣyāmi bhūte bhūtipradā bhava:।।

By chanting this Mantra, we acknowledge the mistake of Holika coming into existence. And pray for our prosperity and well being.

• Now take a few grains of rice, some flower petals, a few grains of unbroken Moong Dal, some pieces of turmeric, a coconut and a bar bholiye, which is a garland made of cow dung, and offer it to Holika.
• Now, circumambulate around Holika and tie either three, five or seven rounds of raw yarn around it.
• Now pour the water from the pot that was kept in the Puja plate in front of Holika.

This marks the end of the Holika Puja Vidhi. After this, Holika is burnt and people usually carry the fire from a public bonfire to purify their homes or to burn another Holika. After the Holika is lit, an auspicious mark of roli is done on everyone’s forehead and people seek the blessings of the elderly. As Holika Festival is celebrated in the season of the first harvest, freshly cut grains are roasted in the fire and are distributed as Holika Prasad.

On the following day of Holi festival or color festival, the celebrations begin by smearing the ashes of Holika on each others’ body. This ash is believed to be sacred and is known to purify one’s body and soul.

Benefits of Holika Dahan Puja

Vedic Hindu culture is full of such festivities which not only give us a reason to spread happiness but also are brimming with practices which endorse good health. These festivities mark goodness on various levels ranging from health to philosophy.

• The Puja of Holika Dahan acknowledges the triumph of good over evil. Every year we remind ourselves that the righteous and the conscientious always wins over the immoral and unjust.
• Furthermore, the age old practice of taking Holika fire from a public bonfire to one’s home is believed to be healthy and hygienic as this custom leads to a pure and disease free environment. In some parts of the country, people clean their houses inside and out for the festival of Holi leading to clean and healthy surroundings.
• The tradition of roasting the grains of the first harvest in the Holika fire and then eating them as Prashad also promotes good health as these grains are extremely nutritious.
• Also, in some parts, an ubtan is applied on the body before Holika Dahan. The ubtan mainly constitutes of mustard paste. After the ubtan dries, people rub-off the ubtan from their body and throw the scraps in the fire to ensure that the diseases of their body, especially that of the skin, get burnt in the fire.
• Last but the most important benefit of celebrating Holika Dahan is to celebrate togetherness and love that we share with our family, friends and relatives. And what would be better than a bonfire on a mildly cold evening to relive the good memories.

Spiritual take

Holika Dahan celebrates the victory of righteousness over evil and hence, is of peculiar importance in Vedic Hindu culture. According to the Puranas, king Hiranyakashyap was believed to be the greatest demon king to have lived. When Hiranyakashyap was blessed with a son he expected the little prince to be the apt heir to his kingdom. He wanted his son to be a better demon lord than himself. But his desire came to an end when he saw his son idolizing Lord Vishnu. After many attempts to stop his son from doing so, he tried to kill him to avoid condemnation of his reign.

After numerous failed attempts of killing prince Prahlad, king Hiranyakashyap asked his sister Holika to intervene into the matter. As Holika had the boon of never getting burnt, he asked her to sit in fire with prince Prahlad in her lap. The moment the cauldron filled with wood caught fire, Prahlad began chanting Lord Vishnu’s name. Prahlad’s devotion saved his life and burnt Holika to ashes. This legend has kept the belief of righteousness having a trump hand over the evil, intact for ages. The festival of colours brings back the belief and reassurance that devotees hold in their God.

The tradition of Holi has been celebrated over ages. Graphic proofs as old as from the 16th century were found from the remains of Vijayanagar Empire in Hampi. Also, old inscriptions have been found in the ruins of Vindhya mountains that can be dated back to as long as 300 BC. A popular belief associated with the celebration of Holi says that it is celebrated to acknowledge the triumph of Lord Krishna over the demoness Pootna. Holi is backed by numerous reasons to celebrate. People with socio-cultural and religious differences come together on this joyous day to celebrate and encourage brotherhood and solidarity.

We at MyKundali, wish you a very happy Holika Dahan. We hope that this festival brings freshness, joy and jubilance in your life and you enjoy this festival to the fullest!