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Entries for Rang Barse Bheegey MSI - March 2009
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From Shruthi Hebbur: -
Holi :- Back home we dont have tradition or custom celebrating holi. But this festival has had a great impact for me since childhood. I used to love playing with colors. At school and college, we used to play with colors too for fun. Its just that colors themselves makes our life so colorful. That is what I feel about HOLI.
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Stuffed Bell Pepper Gravy by Gayathri Bhupalam:
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From Uma Jayakumar: -
My son is the most happiest thing to have happened in my life till now. He brings lots of color to our life (happiness-wise as well as mess-wise!!!) The collage is a mix of all the colourful events in his life from when he was born to till now.
**************************************************From Shruthi Vijay: -
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From Shubha Ravikoti: - No demons its just fun of holi :)
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From Gayathri Gopinath: -
Holi also called the Festival of Colours, is a popular Hindu spring festival observed in India. The main day, Holi, also known as Dhulheti, Dhulandi or Dhulendi, is celebrated by people throwing coloured powder and coloured water at each other. Bonfires are lit the day before, also known as Holika Dahan (death of Holika) or Chhoti Holi (little Holi). The bonfires are lit in memory of the miraculous escape that young Prahlad had when Demoness Holika, sister of Hiranyakashipu, carried him into the fire, this is brief introduction of Holi.
March month is considered as Women's month, and even holi joins this month....so it colorful and brightful....
In this art I have shown the importance of women through color, where Women's sense of self is defined through her different kinds of feelings and the quality of her relationships, which is expressed by her appearance.
March month is considered as Women's month, and even holi joins this month....so it colorful and brightful....
In this art I have shown the importance of women through color, where Women's sense of self is defined through her different kinds of feelings and the quality of her relationships, which is expressed by her appearance.
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From Bhavani Eswar: - I painted especially for this contest.
Thank you Bhavani for sending your Art.**************************************************
From Rajeshwari Mahadev: -
The legend of Kamadeva
After the death of his consort Sati, Lord Shiva was so shocked and hurt that he went into a deep meditation and stopped looking after his worldly responsibilities. Thus, gods conspired to bring him out of his trance with the help of Goddess Parvati, who wished to marry the great lord. For this the help of Kamadeva, the God of love, passion and lust was sought. Though, aware of the consequences, Kamadeva shot his love arrow on the Lord who had mastered all the worldly temptations. Shiva was so furious at the audacity of Kamdeva that he burned him to ashes then and there.However, he was forgiven later and was blessed with immortality.
It is generally believed that Lord Shiva burned Kamadeva on the day of Holi and thus on this day Kamdeva is worshipped for his great sacrifice and is offered mango blossoms and sandalwood paste to cool off the pain of his fatal burns.
TRADITION
Almost all Holi traditions that we witness year after year have their roots in the ancient legends. Days ahead of Holi, children start gathering woods for lighting the Holika bonfire at the major points of the city. On the Holi eve the huge effigy of Holika is placed on the wood pile and burnt. As the fire burns brighter, people sing folk songs and dance on the rhythmic beats of the drums around the bonfires and ask the blessings of the holy fire. In some areas, people offer the first fruits, coconuts and harvest to the holy fire. The embers of this fire are then carried home and people light the domestic hearth from these embers, which is considered auspicious. Some people also give away their old furniture or junk to be burnt in the bonfire, to clear the house of clutter.
It is believed that all seasonal diseases are burnt in the Holi fire.
The main festival day is actually a storehouse of immense fun. It is a day when people are left on their own- from hurling abuses to spraying and sprinkling colours, dancing like mad, and drinking bhang laced thandai. In the evening the atmosphere becomes sober, people visit the houses of friends, and relatives, smear gulal, and exchange good wishes and seek blessings.
SIGNIFICANCE
In this austere land of prayer, piety, and millions of gods and goddesses, where all festivals have an inalienable aura of gravity attached, Holi seems a class apart. No prayers, no rituals, no religious customs, and still celebrated in India? Must be this festival has its roots in somewhere Central Asia or may be Europe? But the answer is a big no to all sceptics and dissenters.
Holi is very much an Indian festival and has its origin in ancient scriptures. It is as old as the epics, or even older. Every aspect of this colourful festival has a deep and abiding significance.
Celebration of spring: The month of Phalgun ushers in Indian spring. Holi celebrates the end of dull grey winter months and the coming of the vibrant spring.
Burning of Holika: When the season changes, a large number of dormant viruses and bacteria suddenly become active and people start contracting all sorts of diseases. When houses are cleaned of old furniture and junk, which are symbolically thrown in Holi fire, a large number of disease causing germs are said to get destroyed.
Thanksgiving festival: Several village communities offer newly reaped crops to the fire God in form of oblations.
Medicinal significance: The colours of Holi (during good old times) had medicinal properties. Made of sandal, turmeric, neem and rose, they had a soothing effect on skin.
SPIRIT OF ONENESS:
But what makes Holi most endearing is the spirit of love and affection imbibed in it. The festival removes all discrimination when the people smear each other lovingly with colours. No designer clothes, no unaffordable accessories.
After the death of his consort Sati, Lord Shiva was so shocked and hurt that he went into a deep meditation and stopped looking after his worldly responsibilities. Thus, gods conspired to bring him out of his trance with the help of Goddess Parvati, who wished to marry the great lord. For this the help of Kamadeva, the God of love, passion and lust was sought. Though, aware of the consequences, Kamadeva shot his love arrow on the Lord who had mastered all the worldly temptations. Shiva was so furious at the audacity of Kamdeva that he burned him to ashes then and there.However, he was forgiven later and was blessed with immortality.
It is generally believed that Lord Shiva burned Kamadeva on the day of Holi and thus on this day Kamdeva is worshipped for his great sacrifice and is offered mango blossoms and sandalwood paste to cool off the pain of his fatal burns.
TRADITION
Almost all Holi traditions that we witness year after year have their roots in the ancient legends. Days ahead of Holi, children start gathering woods for lighting the Holika bonfire at the major points of the city. On the Holi eve the huge effigy of Holika is placed on the wood pile and burnt. As the fire burns brighter, people sing folk songs and dance on the rhythmic beats of the drums around the bonfires and ask the blessings of the holy fire. In some areas, people offer the first fruits, coconuts and harvest to the holy fire. The embers of this fire are then carried home and people light the domestic hearth from these embers, which is considered auspicious. Some people also give away their old furniture or junk to be burnt in the bonfire, to clear the house of clutter.
It is believed that all seasonal diseases are burnt in the Holi fire.
The main festival day is actually a storehouse of immense fun. It is a day when people are left on their own- from hurling abuses to spraying and sprinkling colours, dancing like mad, and drinking bhang laced thandai. In the evening the atmosphere becomes sober, people visit the houses of friends, and relatives, smear gulal, and exchange good wishes and seek blessings.
SIGNIFICANCE
In this austere land of prayer, piety, and millions of gods and goddesses, where all festivals have an inalienable aura of gravity attached, Holi seems a class apart. No prayers, no rituals, no religious customs, and still celebrated in India? Must be this festival has its roots in somewhere Central Asia or may be Europe? But the answer is a big no to all sceptics and dissenters.
Holi is very much an Indian festival and has its origin in ancient scriptures. It is as old as the epics, or even older. Every aspect of this colourful festival has a deep and abiding significance.
Celebration of spring: The month of Phalgun ushers in Indian spring. Holi celebrates the end of dull grey winter months and the coming of the vibrant spring.
Burning of Holika: When the season changes, a large number of dormant viruses and bacteria suddenly become active and people start contracting all sorts of diseases. When houses are cleaned of old furniture and junk, which are symbolically thrown in Holi fire, a large number of disease causing germs are said to get destroyed.
Thanksgiving festival: Several village communities offer newly reaped crops to the fire God in form of oblations.
Medicinal significance: The colours of Holi (during good old times) had medicinal properties. Made of sandal, turmeric, neem and rose, they had a soothing effect on skin.
SPIRIT OF ONENESS:
But what makes Holi most endearing is the spirit of love and affection imbibed in it. The festival removes all discrimination when the people smear each other lovingly with colours. No designer clothes, no unaffordable accessories.
************************************************** From Sumana Subramanya: -
Lets see fews words from Sumana Subramanya why she has wanted to send this collage for this contest
I have created this collage with all my colorful bead jewelry.Colorful beads are my medium of creative expression. I just love to work with lots of colors in my work with all those amazing variety & shades of beads. With beads, possibilities are endless. This is how i would like to present myself for the occation of Holi!Happy Holi every one!
