The festival of Holi is not just about physical colours. It celebrates the love of Krishna for Radha and the love of Radha for Krishna. They are drenching each other in myriad colours of love. The besotted couple are so engrossed in each other that Radha simply forgets her identity. She places a peacock feather on her hair and says, “Address me as Krishna! Don’t call me Radha. Who is Radha?” According to this Braj story, when the gopis saw the peacock feather on Radha’s hair, they urge Krishna to reciprocate by dressing himself up as Radha. The gopis, ardent admirers of Krishna, could clearly see that there was really no difference between Krishna and Radha. The lines had blurred, now. Then suddenly, Radha climbs up on Krishna’s shoulder and says, “I am Krishna, give me a ride!” For this is exactly what Krishna would often do. He would latch on to anybody’s shoulder and ask them to carry him around. The people of Braj would oblige and start dancing while chanting “Krishna! Krishna” in exhilaration. When Radha climbs on to Krishna’s shoulders and ‘orders’ him to carry her, she feels triumphant that she managed to actually pin him down. There is a feeling of great pride and her ego is inflated. Krishna senses the ego in Radha’s voice and suddenly, he vanishes. Radha falls down with a thud and hurts herself. She starts crying and calling out for Krishna. Love-filled Sport In all her crying and pleading, her ego gets washed away. Krishna reappears and asks her, “Do you still want me to carry you on my shoulders?” Radha says ‘No’, but Krishna insists for he knows that now she is truly ready for the ride. Holi is a love-filled sport between lovers — getting drenched in one another’s colour of love. The water and actual colours were introduced later by Bhakti poets. The only colour used at that time was gulal made of Tesu flowers. Holi is the special day to dissolve your personal identity and gel completely with Krishna for he is the very embodiment of love. The lathmaar (beating with sticks) basically means breaking the ego of a person and not his head! The ritual is symbolic.
The festival of Holi is not just about
ReplyDeletephysical colours. It celebrates the love
of Krishna for Radha and the love of
Radha for Krishna. They are drenching
each other in myriad colours of love.
The besotted couple are so engrossed
in each other that Radha simply forgets her identity. She places a
peacock feather on her hair and says, “Address me as Krishna!
Don’t call me Radha. Who is Radha?”
According to this Braj story, when the gopis saw the peacock
feather on Radha’s hair, they urge Krishna to reciprocate by
dressing himself up as Radha. The gopis, ardent admirers of
Krishna, could clearly see that there was really no difference
between Krishna and Radha. The lines had blurred, now.
Then suddenly, Radha climbs up on Krishna’s shoulder and says,
“I am Krishna, give me a ride!” For this is exactly what Krishna
would often do. He would latch on to anybody’s shoulder and ask
them to carry him around. The people of Braj would oblige and
start dancing while chanting “Krishna! Krishna” in exhilaration.
When Radha climbs on to Krishna’s shoulders and ‘orders’ him to
carry her, she feels triumphant that she managed to actually pin
him down. There is a feeling of great pride and her ego is inflated.
Krishna senses the ego in Radha’s voice and suddenly, he
vanishes. Radha falls down with a thud and hurts herself. She
starts crying and calling out for Krishna.
Love-filled Sport
In all her crying and pleading, her ego gets washed away. Krishna
reappears and asks her, “Do you still want me to carry you on
my shoulders?” Radha says ‘No’, but Krishna insists for he knows
that now she is truly ready for the ride.
Holi is a love-filled sport between lovers — getting drenched in
one another’s colour of love. The water and actual colours were
introduced later by Bhakti poets. The only colour used at that time
was gulal made of Tesu flowers. Holi is the special day to dissolve
your personal identity and gel completely with Krishna for he is
the very embodiment of love. The lathmaar (beating with sticks)
basically means breaking the ego of a person and not his head!
The ritual is symbolic.