Holika Dahan (Born fire)

 Hello Readers,

Our Indian country is full of festival generally we are celebrating all the festivals like we have a reason for get-together with our family. basically Indians have a many festival to celebrate every day because there are many regions are leaving in India. so, the HOLIKA DAHAN is one of them.

Holi is an ancient Hindu festival, originating from the Indian subcontinent. It is celebrated predominantly in India, but has also spread to other areas of Asia and parts of the Western world through the diaspora from the Indian subcontinent. Holi is popularly known as the Indian "festival of spring", the "festival of colors", or the "festival of love". The festival signifies the arrival of spring, the end of winter, the blossoming of love, and for many a festive day to meet others, play and laugh, forget and forgive, and repair broken relationships. The festival also celebrates the beginning of a good spring harvest season. It lasts for a night and a day, starting on the evening of the Purnima (Full Moon day) falling in the Vikram Samvat Calendar, in the Hindu calendar month of Phalguna, which falls around middle of March in the Gregorian calendar. The first evening is known as Holika Dahan (burning of demon holika) or Chhoti Holi and the following day as Holi, Rangwali Holi, Dhuleti, Dhulandi,or Phagwah. Holi is of particular significance in the Braj region, which includes locations traditionally associated with the Lord Krishna: Mathura, Vrindavan, Nandgaon, Uttar Pradesh, and Barsana, which become touristic during the season of Holi.

  

So, recently we celebrate the born fire festival  named Holika Dahan. This is the worldwide festival.

Holika Dahan also Kamudu pyre is celebrated by burning Holika, an asura. For many traditions in Hinduism, Holi celebrates the killing of Holika in order to save Prahlad, a devotee of God Vishnu and thus Holi gets its name. In olden days, people used to contribute a piece of wood or two for the Holika bonfire, and this represents Holika being consumed by the fire in which she tried to kill her nephew Prahlad. A similar holiday is Holi where people get to gather and often repair broken relationships. 

1) How many countries celebrate Bonfire? Why?

Ans :- Bonfire Night Around The World

• New Zealand. New Zealand still celebrate Guy Fawkes Night on the same night as we do.
• Canada. Guy Fawkes Night is still celebrated in parts of Newfoundland, Canada, as a nod to the British settlers that settled there during Elizabeth I's reign in 1583. ...
• South Africa. ...
• Saint Vincent & The Grenadines. ...
• Saint Kitts & Nevis.
• Outside India and Nepal, Holi is observed by the minority Hindus in Bangladesh and Pakistan as well in countries with large Indian subcontinent diaspora populations such as Suriname, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, South Africa, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, Mauritius, and Fiji. The Holi rituals and customs outside South Asia also vary with local adaptations.
  
  

2) What are the rituals around such celebrations?

Ans: - Holika Dahan, also known as Kamudu pyre (burning Holika, an asura); Preparation of Holi foods and drinks like such as gujiya, mathri, malpuas, bhang, thandai, and other regional delicacies; playing with colors and water; singing and dancing on Holi folk songs; visiting relatives, family 

3) Is there any story or myth around those celebrations? Write about various myths around bonfire.

Ans: - Holi is based on a legend about King Hiranyakaship. 'Hiranyakashyap had a son, Prahlad. Prahlad was the greatest devotee of Lord Vishnu. Hiranyakashyap wanted to kill his son, so he called his sister, Holika. She had a magic robe. This robe had the power to save the wearer from burning in fire. Hiranya Kashyap ordered his sister to sit on a burning fire along with Prahlad. He thought that his sister would not be harmed by the fire because of the magic robe and Prahlad would be burnt to death. But the result was the opposite to what the evil demon king planned.

Thus Prahlad came out of the burning fire safely and Holika was burnt to death. The other day is celebrated with joyful colours to mark the victory of virtue and goodness over evil. The next morning is celebrated as Rangwali Holi – a free-for-all festival of colours, where people smear each other with colours and drench each other. Water guns and water-filled balloons are also used to play and colour each other.