Holika Dahan 2024: The flames of Holika Dahan are very auspicious. Every worry gets destroyed in the fire of Holika Dahan, sorrows get destroyed and one gets the blessing of fulfillment of desires. Holika Dahan is as important as colors in this festival of victory of good over evil. It is believed that by worshiping and burning Holika as per rituals, it does not take long for the difficulties to end.

Holika Dahan mythology

According to Hindu mythology, a king named Hiranyakashipu, like many demons, wished to be immortal. To fulfill this wish, he performed rigorous penance to get a boon from Lord Brahma. Pleased, Lord Brahma granted Hiranyakashipu a boon and fulfilled his five wishes: that he would not die at the hands of any creature created by Brahma, that he would not die by day or night, by any weapon, on earth or in the sky, inside or outside. That he will not be destroyed, that he will not be killed by men or animals, Devas or demons, that he will be peerless, that he will have never-ending power, and that he will be the sole ruler of the entire creation. 

After receiving the boon, Hiranyakashipu felt invincible. Whoever objected to his supremacy, he punished and killed them all. Hiranyakashipu had a son Prahlad. Prahlad refused to worship his father as a god. He continued to believe in and worship Vishnu.

Prahlad's faith in Lord Vishnu enraged Hiranyakashipu, and he made several attempts to kill Prahlad, all of which were unsuccessful. In these efforts, once, Holika, sister of King Hiranyakashipu, supported her brother to kill Prahlad. According to Vishnu Purana, Holika was blessed with a cloth from Brahmaji that could never burn with fire. Holika simply came and sat in the fire wearing the same cloth to burn Prahlad. As soon as Prahlad chanted the name of Lord Vishnu, Holika's fireproof garment came over Prahlad and he was saved, while Holika was burnt to ashes.

It is believed that since then, Holika Dahan has been celebrated every year for centuries to celebrate the victory of good over evil. The story of Holika Dahan symbolizes the victory of religion over sin.

other story

Another story is of the demonic Dhundi. The demonic mist of the Raghu kingdom used to harass innocent people and especially small children. Dhundhi was blessed by Lord Shiva that she would not be killed by gods, and men nor suffer from heat, cold or rain, or from any weapon. These blessings made him almost invincible but he also had a weak point. She was also cursed by Lord Shiva that she would be in danger from playful boys who would harass her. 

The king consulted the priest, who told him that on Phalgun the winter season ends and the summer season begins. This would be an opportune time to drive away the fog. When the time came, the courageous boys of the village decided to get rid of him forever and drive him away from the village. The boys gathered a pile of wood and grass, set it on fire with chants, clapped, and started circling around the fire. 

They became intoxicated with Bhang and then followed Dhundi to the village limits, beating drums, making noise, abusing, and so on until Dhundi left the village forever. The abuses ruined her state of mind, she felt weak and helpless from within. Here also the tradition of burning Holika became popular as a symbol of the victory of good over evil. Even today, in honor of this belief, boys celebrate the festival of Holika Dahan by playing drums and making noise on the night of Holika Dahan.