Holi- more than just a festival of colours

The Hindu community celebrated the festival in temples across the city.

KARACHI: Holi, the festival of colours, marks the advent of spring season for Hindus across the world but it marks an even more special time for the newly-wedded couples of a particular group of Hindus. It is a chance for the couple to strengthen their bond by re-marrying in front of the 'Holika' [a fire set up for the Holi prayers].

Jyoti and Krishna, who got married in January earlier this year, had come to the Lakshmi Narayan Mandir on the first night of Holi to complete their ceremonial 'pheray' [circumambulate] around the 'Agni' [fire], which is an important ritual for the believers of the faith.

The couples complete the 'puja' [prayers] by throwing coconut bits, popcorn, pulses and dried fruits into the fire. A devotee overlooking the ceremony, Hansa Rajesh, told The Express Tribune that they are supposed to take four rounds of the fire if they are married at home, instead of the temple. Had they married at the temple, the couple would have taken seven rounds around the fire.

The ritual is mandatory for every Hindu couple, but only in their first year of marriage. "If for any reason, the couple cannot perform the ritual in their first year of marriage, they are not eligible to remarry in front of the Holika again," claimed Rajesh, explaining the importance of the ritual.

Besides the ritual for couples, the festival also incorporates rituals for unmarred girls. Girls between the age of 12 to 18 years can praise their 'Holi Maa' by fasting for her and presenting her with 'Maata ka Mukh' [the statue of her face].

"Kiran is a keen supporter of the Holi Maa and has been fasting for her on every Holi day for the last three years," explained the mother of 14-year-old Kiran Kumari, who was reciting verses, while holding the Maata ka Mukh in her hands. "I believe that if you make her happy, your future will be full of happiness because Holi is the celebration of happiness, joy and equality," said Kumari.

Hindu devotees sang, danced, and threw coloured powder at each other to celebrate one of the biggest and most important festivals of the Hindu culture at the Shri Swami Narayan Mandir. "Everything we do here is an intimation of what our lord used to do, whether it be burning dry fruits in the fire or making rangoli from coloured rice," explained a devotee at the temple, Rajna. "Holi Maa is fond of colours and rice, which is why we paint rice with seven different colours and make rangoli from them".

Lakshmi Narayan Mandir's caretaker Bhanani Bai told The Express Tribune that each and every participant at the temple was as happy as anyone would be in India. "We are celebrating Holi as the festival of love and joy." She explained that Holi starts with the puja of fire and goes will into the night, while believers of the 'Holika' can perform prayers around it and play with colours. The organisers don't put out this fire. The women will collect the ashes at 4am the next day and release them into the sea, explained one of the devotees.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 7^th, 2015.