Color symbolism and religious significance in the Holi festival

¶ … Holi, Colors speak and people Play!

Indian culture is enriched with traditions, religious ceremonies and festive celebrations. The paper is about historical and religious significance of Holi, a spring celebration which is also referred to as the 'celebration of colors'. However, the event dates back to ancient Hindu religious celebrations. In South Asia, Holi has also gained popularity among non-Hindus. It is majorly celebrated in India, Nepal and other parts of the world wherever Hindu communities reside. The event starts a night before Holi with Holika, which is the bonfire where people gather in masses to dance and sing around the fire. The very next morning Holi is celebrated by playing with colors, singing and dancing. However, there are few symbolic elements prominently observed in Holi carnival. Every single person adorns in complete white, has water gun fight, plays with colors in the shape of dry powder and drinks "Bhang." The drink is prepared by mixing flower buds and leaves of cannabis plant and few other ingredients and is famously used as an intoxicant. The practice has been observed since ancient Hindu Holy traditions. It is commonly acknowledged as standard practice.

The research paper will examine the overt and nuanced usage of color in the Holi Festival. Holi is a festival celebrated in spring all throughout India, which originates in Hindu mythology. While there are various myths which seek to explain the exact origins of the festival, the most popular one involves Krishna and Radha. According to Hindu mythology, the darker-skinned Krishna was extremely envious of the lighter skinned Radha and complained so much that his mother doused him in colors (Wangu 121). The research paper will attempt to determine how exactly color functions on a religious, cultural, symbolic and primal level within the Holi festival. The Holi festival is one of the most long-standing traditions within India and is beloved to many. The paper will attempt to examine what the exact elements of this festival are, which touch upon such a primal and fundamental needs and desires of human beings. This festival is not just glorified in India, but is mimicked joyfully in a range of western countries, a tendency, which gives support to the notion that it is not just an Indian cultural festival, but an act, which expresses a basic need of humanity.

The event welcomes everyone belonging to different classes and bringing them together. People from different age groups children, elders, men and women, rich and poor religiously celebrate the event. The carnival usually takes place in open streets and in large groups where color people play with colors and water guns. People come out on streets, temples and carry drums and other musical instruments to create a festive vibe, sing, and dance and go from place to place. People visit their family members, relatives and friends to play with color and celebrate the event together. People meet their foes as well as the event signifies defeat of evil and victory of goodness.

Holi has astronomical significance as it is celebrated when Phalguna Pumina (full moon night) is observed at the loom of vernal equinox. The date of the event is not fixed and varies every year depending on the calendar of Hindus but usually observed in the month of March and sometimes February according to the calendar of Georgian. The event typically denotes triumph of good and defeat of evil, commencement of spring season and end of winter season. The event also plays a significant role in bringing together friends and foes so they can forgive each other.

Areas of Study

The research paper will study Holi in the context of symbolism of colors. The religious and historical aspect of Holi as an ancient color celebration will also be studied in this paper. The main areas of concern are Historical and religious significance of Holi, Symbolism of colors and other elements observed in Holi, Comparison of Holi to Color run and Significance of Colors.

Each of the above dynamics of this research will be studied in detail relating to color and its significance in the literature review section and data analysis.

Figure 1 www.holism2013.blogspot.com

Assumptions and Delimitations

The paper will conversely encounter number of factors that delimits the study. The first and foremost limitation to the study is time constraint that does not make it possible to incorporate all possible variables that make a contribution to religious and historical significance of Holi. The second limitation incurred is generalization of the results with respect to the entire population (Albers 52).

The behaviors and reactions can vary from person to person, hence, it can be stated that human behavior cannot be objectively studied. Therefore, these are mere patterns of human behavior that can change from time to time, from person to person.

There are certain assumed notions that have helped build general views on the topic. However, the assumptions are that the outcome and results of the study will be sufficient enough to generalize the entire population.

Religious and Historical Significance

There are many legends attributed to Holi carnival in Hinduism namely The Legend of Holika and Prahlad, Legend of Kaamadeva, The Legend of Dhundhi and The Legend of Radha-Krishna. All of the above religious tales amplify the significance of Holi. Each legend will be discussed individually (Holi Festival, N.d.).

Significance of Holi and Colors

The most joyous part of Holi celebrations is in fact the colors. The festival is given life and vibrancy by the use of colors, and that is what makes this event one of the most enjoyed ones in the Hindu religion and tradition.

No one can deny the fact that the sight of Holi is very pleasing to the eye. Clouds of colors in the air make the entire atmosphere so beautiful that people cannot help but take part in the colorful celebrations. Since the festival is celebrated in the spring season, even nature decides to play with colors through the growth of colorful flowers that coincide with cheerful mood of Hindus (Della and Brian 49).

Full of energy, people move out into the streets playing dholaks and singing songs at the top of their lungs, with their white clothes drenched in colors. With Great Spirit of Holi, these people throw abeer and gulal in the air as well as in the feet of their elders. This act symbolizes their respect for their elders, and makes the festival utterly memorable and delightful for everyone.

It is indeed very interesting to note that the legend that gave rise to this tradition of playing with colors was also very colorful. The tradition of Holi is traced back to the Indian God, Lord Krishna, who was envious of his soul mate Radha, for she had a very fair complexion. On the other hand, Krishna was dark skinned. Krishna was a naughty boy, and so he went to his mother Yashoda to complain about this dilemma, which he thought was injustice on the part of nature. In order to console his son, Yashoda asked Krishna to splatter color all over Radha's face so as to hide her fair complexion by his favorite color. As Krishna was mischievous and playful by nature, he decided to implement the idea. The aforementioned event marked the start of the tradition that gained so much popularity that it is celebrated as a full-fledge ritual and festival in Hindu religion, as well as in many other parts of Southern Asia.

Even today, all lovers desire to color their soul mates and get colored by them. Therefore, color is a great symbol of love in the festival of Holi. The application of love on the face of the lover has become a legit expression of love during this festival.

The different colors that are used in Holi signify different meanings. The 'Red' color signifies purity. Usually this is the first color that is used to apply on the faces of the loved ones, when the festival begins. The red color that is used in the Holi festival is extracted from red Sandal Powder, Lalchandan and Raktachandan. These color extracts are known to be extremely good for skin, and therefore are one of the ingredients used in making face packs. These sources of red pigment are also preferred over Red Gulab. A lovely red colored powder can also be made by drying red hibiscus flowers. Flour is added to this powder to add bulk to it. Annato, also referred to as Sinduria is extracted from a fruit that is shaped like a water chestnut and contains beautiful seeds of brick red color. This extract is used to make wet as well as dry colors. "The mineral chameleon, a name which has been given to oxide of manganese, may be considered, in its perfectly dry state, as a green powder" (Goethe 542).

"If we strew it in water, the green color displays itself beautifully in the first moment of solution" (Goethe 542).

The green color signifies vitality. It adds great life to the entire event. People splatter this color on their close friends and family as a symbol of inviting them to play Holi with them. Different shades of green are made by using henna powder and then adding suitable quantities of flour to it so as to attain the desired shade. Henna powder can also be used as such (Gans 69).

The blue color is used to signify calm and sedateness. In Holi, it is a marker of peace. Some people use this color to splatter the faces of their friends of family with whom their relations have been strained. The blue pigment is extracted from the Jacaranda flowers that are first dried in the shade and then crushed to get a lovely blue colored powder. This flower specifically blooms in the summer season. Just like the red hibiscus, the blue hibiscus can also be used to make this pigment. Blue hibiscus is found in Kerala.

The yellow color signifies a pious feeling. It is important to note here that Holi is celebrated as a religious festival (Gans 78). Therefore, the use of yellow color is important as the Hindus believe that they are washing away their sins by playing Holi. The yellow color is made by mixing two teaspoons of Turmeric powder with almost double the amount of gram flour. Apart from this, the normal kasturi haldi can also be used for making this color. "They (colors) produce a corresponding spiritual vibration, and it is only as a step towards this spiritual vibration that the elementary physical impression is of importance" (Kandinsky 42)

The festival of Holi is known for its potential to bring people together. It is not just limited to Hindu religion but anyone is invited to join their loved ones, their friends and family, in this joyous event. The use of different colors gives other the feeling of satisfaction and being loved from by their friends and family. "Many colours have been described as rough or sticky, others as smooth and uniform, so that one feels inclined to stroke them (e.g., dark ultramarine, chromic oxide green, and rose madder). Equally the distinction between warm and cold colours belongs to this connection. Some colours appear soft (rose madder), others hard (cobalt green, blue-green oxide), so that even fresh from the tube they seem to be dry" (Kandinsky 43). Even without using words, one can express his/her feelings for the other person by choosing the right kind of color.

Methodology

This section of the paper employs an appropriate methodology for the research conducted and the most suitable of all for this kind is semiotic and historical analysis. The employed methodology will undergo several studies and imperatively infuse relevant and selective material that leads to resourceful conclusion.

Data and Sources used

The prospect of the research embraces in-depth study as the need to come to an unbiased and accurate result. However, to achieve the desired outcomes online libraries have been accessed in order to study peer reviewed journals, published articles and online books to develop a wide and better understanding of the subject. The existing literature includes investigation and results of previous research work conducted on the given topic. Different theories were studied to justify hypotheses of the research paper (Holi Festival, N.d.).

Data Analysis

The subject is entirely relevant to the notion of color as communication, as we have examined in class, because the entire Holi festival demonstrates a host of silent forms of communication. For example, on a historical level, the festival is a living manifestation of a range of Hindu myths, and thus serves as a means of reminding and incarnating Hindu mythology. Furthermore, the Holi festival is extremely dynamic and interactive: the color is thrown and splashed from one person to the next, with lots of life, love and energy attached to it. It is also an extremely demonstrative and public festival since the individuals throw the color and then parade down city streets, communicating their new images and selves. Moreover, the festival is very significant in symbolic communication, as each color has its own symbolic meaning. Every person who splashes colors on his or her family and friends does so with a specific emotion attached to it. Hence, the paper will also discuss the kinds of pigments they use.

Holi is one of those events which provide researchers with full-bodied understanding of how color functions in all areas of human culture, art, and collective experience. Thus, this list includes the usage and exploration of color within film, literature, fine arts, architecture, and even biological science. It's important to see how color functions in the world and is used as a tool for communication between creatures great and small, and how it acts as the silent partner in art and in architectural space (Goethe 54).

Everyone in the Hindu community enact the scene of Holika who burnt to ashes, and therefore demonstrates the ultimate defeat of evil. However, it is commonly enacted in the northern regions of India where the images and effigies of Prahlad's sister are burnt to ashes. Other practices in the region include cow dung hurling and screaming out obscenities as if it is Prahlad's sister Holika burning in fire. And then the Holi begins as everyone screams out "Holi hai" (it is Holi).

The enactment is most common in Orissa and Gujarat where people firmly believe in fire "Agni" by offering eatables and grams to the fire.

Holi is celebrated in the remembrance and sacrifice of Lord Kaamadeva who was burnt to ashes by Lord Shiva (Kandinsky 102). In the south of India, people from different communities worship Kaamadeva who is god of love and passion and that his sacrifice restored peace and love in the world (Itten 76). Kaamadeva is projected with a sugarcane bow in his hands which has humming bees on one end and the shaft of arrow are decorated with passion which pierces the heart.

Holi is an enactment of the playful prank where gopis use water jets (water guns) and the event is widely celebrated. It has a historical and religious background to it. Every year the event is practiced in spring season all across India in Mathura, Vrindavan, Barsana and Nandgaon -- the places associated with Krishna and Radha.

The Color Run, Run or Dye, Color in Motion, The Graffiti Run, and other such fun and playful runs are rapidly spreading across United States of America (Goethe 109). These events combine all the bright and loud colors together, of Holi with intensity of 5k race. The runners of the event attire in white and after every kilometer they are exposed and splashed a different color. Holi on the other hand, is a religious, cultural and traditional event unlike color run which is a sport (Kandinsky 65). It is celebrated as a social event in many parts of U.S.. It is celebrated at Radha Krishna temple, Spanish Fork Utah Holi and many other places.

Three of the main texts to be used in this research proposal are: Art and the Invention of Color by Philip Ball, If It's Purple, Someone's Gonna Die: The Power of Color in by Patti Ballentoni, and Nabokov and the Art of Painting by Gerard de Vries. The Ball text gives a more comprehensive examination of how color has been used in art forms throughout times to convey literal and symbolic meanings to human beings -- colors used to convey feelings and colors used to convey certain historical themes (Ball 65). Through this text we can understand the meaning of colors, and what specific colors are meant to express in the festival of Holi. Moreover, the psychological effect of colors and their use in Holi as well as other festivals can also be comprehended by making use of this text. The Ballentoni text examines color in one of the most modern and popular forms of visual story-telling and illuminates what we can explain about how color is used today (Sheller 71). Since Holi has become one of the most popularly celebrated festival among Hindus all over the world, many different colors are used with different emotional connotations. These connotations have been described in the aforementioned text, and therefore it can be used to understanding the communication behind the use of different colors in Holi.

Colors carry a great deal of significance in the Hindu religion. Specific colors are associated with specific situations and emotions. Red is considered to be the color of happiness, love and celebration. Hindus apply red powder on their foreheads after finishing their prayers. The married Hindu women also apply it on their hairline, referred to as sindur that signifies that they are happily married. On the day of the wedding, Hindu women wear red color to express their joy and love for their soul mate. On the other hand, when Hindu women are widowed, they do not wear colorful dresses. In fact, they wear white. White signifies mourning and sadness in the Hindu religion.

On occasions like weddings, Holi and other religious festivals, Hindus also make a colorful pattern by using different colors, and the pattern is called rangoli. It supposed to signify peace and prosperity in the household.

Conclusion

However, Europe does not lag behind and equally celebrate Holi and other color festivals where people in different communities come together and splash colors at each other. Holi, in European region is regarded as party and social event. The organizers claim thousands of people join in to celebrate and experience the festivities.