Holi Story

Several stories are associated with Holi, a festival celebrated for thousands of years. While the tale of devotee Prahlad and Lord Narasimha is the most renowned, other mythological stories are also widely known and referenced in ancient texts. Here are four significant tales:

1. The Story of Radha and Krishna: Holi is deeply connected to the divine love of Radha and Krishna. In Mathura and Vrindavan, Holi is celebrated as an expression of their love. Legend has it that Radha teased Krishna for his dark complexion, while hers was fair. Upset, Krishna asked Mother Yashoda why Radha was so fair while he was dark-skinned. To comfort him, Yashoda told him to apply any color he liked on Radha's face. Krishna happily did so, not just coloring Radha but also the other Gopis. This playful event occurred during the month of Phalgun, and it marked the beginning of the tradition of celebrating Holi.

2. The Story of Shiva, Parvati, and Kamdev: According to another tale, Goddess Parvati wanted to marry Lord Shiva, but Shiva was absorbed in deep meditation. To help Parvati, Kamdev (God of Love) shot a floral arrow to disturb Shiva’s meditation. Enraged, Shiva burned Kamdev to ashes. Kamdev's wife, Rati, mourned his loss and pleaded with Shiva to revive him. Out of compassion, Shiva brought Kamdev back to life. It is believed this event occurred on the day of Holi.

3. The Story of Krishna and Putana: When the tyrant King Kansa sent the demoness Putana to kill baby Krishna, she disguised herself as a beautiful woman and attempted to poison Krishna by nursing him. However, Krishna killed Putana with his divine powers. This incident is believed to have occurred on the day of Phalgun Purnima.

4. The Story of the Demoness Dhundhi: During King Prithu's reign, there was a wicked demoness named Dhundhi. Through intense penance, she received a boon from Lord Shiva, making her immune to cold, heat, rain, weapons, gods, and humans. However, Shiva added a condition: Dhundhi’s powers would be nullified where children gathered to create noise and chaos. To eliminate Dhundhi, the royal priest advised the king to organize a ritual on Phalgun Purnima, when children would gather with sticks, burn a pile of grass and wood, chant loudly, and dance around the fire. Following this advice, Dhundhi was defeated. This tradition of children playing, making noise, and dancing around a fire is continued today during Holi celebrations.