Holi Festival and Scientific significance of festivals in Indian Tradition
Throughout the year, India celebrates numerous festivals that correspond to different phases in the astronomical cycle. Holi, the festival of colors, is one such significant celebration that holds deep symbolic meaning. It imparts valuable lessons and holds great social importance.
In Indian culture, we often associate events and celebrations with stories, but fail to grasp the underlying mysteries they convey. Research has shown that stories make information more memorable because they connect directly with human emotions and leave a lasting impression. In 1880-1885, German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus developed the ‘Forgetting Curve’, which explains that humans typically forget up to 40% of what they learn in a day. Memory fades further over weeks, months, and years. Ebbinghaus also concluded that information associated with emotions is retained longer and can be converted into permanent memory through spaced repetition. Examining our traditions and stories, it is evident that our ancestors employed similar methods in ancient times. They used stories to convey complex knowledge across generations, incorporating techniques to enhance focus and concentration, thereby boosting memory power.
The Scientific and Social Significance of Holi
The story behind Holi is interwoven with scientific principles and social welfare messages. It revolves around Prahlad and Hiranyakashyap (Hiranyakashipu). According to mythology, Hiranyakashyap’s younger brother, Hiranyaksha, was killed by Vishnu’s Varaha avatar. Enraged by this, Hiranyakashyap performed austerities and pleased Brahma, obtaining the boon of invincibility. He became egotistical and considered himself God. When he was performing penance, the gods attacked his home. Narad Muni, recognizing Hiranyakashyap’s wife Kayadhu’s piety, protected her and granted her refuge. During this time, she gave birth to a son named Prahlad, who became a devotee of Vishnu due to Narad Muni’s influence. Hiranyakashyap, on the other hand, considered Lord Vishnu an enemy due to the death of his brother at the hands of the god, and banned worship in his kingdom. Prahlad, from his birth, was immersed in devotion due to the sage’s divine instructions. This enraged Hiranyakashyap, who made several attempts to kill Prahlad, but Prahlad survived each time.
Finally, Hiranyakashyap devised a plan to kill Prahlad using his sister Holika, who had obtained the divine boon of being immune to fire. He ordered Holika to sit in a fire with Prahlad in her lap. By divine grace, Holika herself was burned, while Prahlad was saved by the divine power. This is why we celebrate Holika Dahan every year, signifying the destruction of evil. We celebrate Holi, the festival of colors, to commemorate Prahlad’s survival and the triumph of good deeds.
A Scientific and Spiritual Analysis of the Holi Story
In various beliefs and stories, God is portrayed as an invisible force that governs the entire universe, permeating every particle. Science also suggests that all matter or objects are interconnected through some medium, and there exists a link that pervades everything and plays a crucial role in the functioning of this universe. However, even today, science is unable to explain how the smallest unit of matter, the ‘electron’, moves.
To address this question, spirituality explains that every particle and individual possesses a portion of this invisible force. Just as the qualities, potentials, and characteristics of the ocean can be experienced in a single drop, so too has every living and non-living thing been created from the same Brahman source, bearing a portion of its essence.
The story of Prahlad exemplifies this concept. To prove the omnipresence of God in every particle, Prahlad’s enraged father Hiranyakashyap strikes a pillar with his mace, causing Vishnu’s fourth avatar, the mighty Narasimha (Narasimha), to emerge from the radiant light. Narasimha appeared under the perfect conditions that fulfilled the king’s boon to kill him. Hiranyakashyap could not be killed by a human, god, or animal, but Narasimha was part human and part animal. He killed the demon by ripping open his stomach with his claws, placing him on his thighs (neither on the ground nor in the air) at twilight (when it is neither day nor night) and on the threshold of the courtyard (neither inside nor outside the house).
Even if considered as a figment of imagination, this story beautifully conveys two points. Firstly, Narasimha’s avatar symbolizes the stage of human evolution when animal-like and human-like wild creatures began to develop on Earth. Secondly, the story emphasizes that this invisible force (God) exists in every particle, governing the entire Brahman as an invisible magnetic force. Just as we cannot see magnetic force, we can feel its attraction near a magnet.
In a passage from the Purva Upnishad, the gods ask Brahma Ji who Narasimha is. In response, Brahma Ji explains that the intellectual prowess of humans and the physical prowess of lions are renowned among all living beings. The combination of the two signifies readiness to protect in the form of light and visibility and in the form of intelligence and strength. Whether Narasimha actually existed or not, his presence as light and power can be seen anywhere.
Topically, the story of Prahlad and Narasimha symbolizes the omnipresence of a governing force in every particle, while the Holi celebrated in Kashi signifies the merging of everything into one. The Holi of Vrindavan, on the other hand, demonstrates that we are all interconnected and that mutual attachment and love are the pillars of life.
These stories enrich human social life. Humans are considered social beings, and we depend on others. We rely on each other to fulfill our needs. According to researchers, human social behavior is the most complex and fascinating among all animals because we are biologically programmed to interact. We need other individuals to express our thoughts and opinions. We have witnessed the complex disease of depression that emerged from living self-centered lives or being deprived of social interaction during the COVID era. In this context, the way Holi is celebrated is also presented as a medicinal remedy that is beneficial for people. In which we recharge ourselves with energy by singing ‘Phagua’ with joy with our family or neighbors and protect ourselves from such diseases.
These stories and traditions hold deep secrets that can be understood only through study and comprehension. The imagination and intellectual capacity of the creators of these mythological tales and traditions reflect the vastness of their imagination and intellect.
