Holi!!

Tuesday and Wednesday marked Holi in India. It is a spring festival that celebrates the triumph of good over evil. It started at work on Tuesday night with a big dance show in the cafeteria to lively music, everyone was whislting and hollering with excitement! But Wednesday when we got to work was the real fun. Everyone plays Holi by coloring each other. In the office, this quickly got out of hand! We were all having a great time, laughing and coloring for about 2 hours in the afternoon. Not your typical workday! Everyone was so happy, laughing and hugging and wishing one another a happy Holi. My face was pink for almost the entire day as I was unable to get my colors off very easily! I had so much fun on this holiday and think we should start celebrating it stateside!

Origin of Holi Festival: The legend of King Hiranyakashipu is associated with the festival of Holi. This legend signifies the victory of good over evil, of devotion surpassing ambition. King Hiranyakashipu was an ambitious ruler, one who wanted absolute power so that he would be worshipped as God. When this wish was made known, the King's own son, Prahlad, refused to obey his father. Prahlad was an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu, and it was only to his Lord that he gave allegiance.
The proud King was enraged by Prahlad's disobedience and decided to punish him severely. He asked his sister Holika for help. It was believed that Holika was immune to fire and would never be burnt, so the King asked Holika to sit in the centre of a bonfire with Prahlad on her lap, so that the fire could devour him. The bonfire was lit, and young Prahlad sat in Holika's lap, in its centre, praying to Lord Vishnu. His devotion saved him, leaving him untouched by the flames, but Holika was burnt to ashes.