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<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Hindu festival}}<br />
{{Infobox holiday<br />
| holiday_name = Holika Dahan<br />
| type = Hindu<br />
| nickname = <!-- Festival of Colours --><br />
| image = File:Holika Dahan 2020.jpg<br />
| caption = Holi Bonfire at Shri Ram Chowk, I.P Extension, [[Delhi]].<br />
| official_name =<br />
| begins = [[Phalguna|Phalgun]] [[Purnima (day)|Purnima]] or [[Pooranmashi]] (Full Moon)<br />
| ends =<br />
| date = February–March<br />
| date2015 = <br />
| date2016 = <br />
| date2017 = <br />
| date2018 = <br />
| celebrations = The day after Holika Dahan<BR/>On Holi: spray colors on others, dance, visit each other, party; eat festival delicacies<br />
| relatedto = [[Holi]]<br />
| observedby = India<br />
}}<br />
[[File:Holi bonfire on Holi eve 2012.webm|thumb|Holi bonfire on Holi eve in Delhi, 2012]]<br />
'''Holika Dahan''' also '''Kamudu pyre''' is celebrated by burning [[Holika]], an [[Asura|asuri]] (demoness). For many traditions in [[Hinduism]], Holi celebrates the victory of good over evil. According to the tradition, people contribute a piece of wood or two for the Holika bonfire, and this represents [[Holika]] being consumed by the fire in which she tried to kill her nephew [[Prahlada|Prahlad]] , a devotee of God [[Vishnu]] and thus Holi gets its name. . A similar holiday is Holi where people get to gather and often repair broken relationships.<br />
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==Significance==<br />
[[File:Holika Dahan, Kathamandu, Nepal.jpg|right|thumb|Woman preparing for Holika Dahan, Kathamandu, Nepal]]<br />
The night before Holi, pyres are burnt in North India, Nepal and parts of South India in keeping with this tradition.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/forests-bear-the-brunt-of-holi/article4552974.ece|title=Forests bear the brunt of Holi|first=S. Harpal|last=Singh|date=27 March 2013|accessdate=9 January 2020|via=www.thehindu.com|newspaper=The Hindu}}</ref> The youth playfully steal all sorts of things and put them in Holika pyre.<br />
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In some parts of India the day is actually called Holika Dehan.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://holi-2020.com/holika-dahan-burning-time-muhurat/|title=Holika Dahan Burning Time and Muhurat in 2020 All Around the World|date=2020-01-16|website=Holi festival 2020|language=en-US|access-date=2020-02-11}}</ref> There are other activities associated with the story of Prahlad, but the burning of Holika is the one that we can most directly associate with Holi. Fire burnt on the eve of Holi (Holika Dahan) symbolizes the burning of Holika. The story as a whole is testament to the power of devotion ([[bhakta]]) over the evil represented by [[King Hiranyakashyapu]], as Prahlad never lost his faith.<br />
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==The Ritual==<br />
[[File:Holi Bonfire Festival Mundra Gujarat India.jpg|thumb|right|Holi festival bonfire at [[Mundra]], 2015]]<br />
;Prepare Holika pyre for bonfire<br />
Days before the festival people start gathering wood and combustible materials for the bonfire in parks, community centers, near temples and other open spaces. On top of the pyre is an effigy to signify Holika who tricked Prahalad into the fire. Inside homes, people stock up on color pigments, food, party drinks and festive seasonal foods such as ''[[gujiya]]'', ''[[mathri]]'', ''[[malpua]]s'' and other regional delicacies.<br />
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==Holika dahan==<br />
On the eve of Holi, typically at or after sunset, the pyre is lit, signifying Holika Dahan. The ritual symbolises the victory of good over evil. People sing and dance around the fire. People also perform [[parikrama]] of fire.<br />
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The next day people play [[Holi]], the popular festival of colors.<br />
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==Reason for Holika dahan==<br />
[[File:Holika.png|thumb|right|A night before Holi, people lit a huge bonfire known as Holika Dahan to remember the burning of the evil demoness Holika, the sister of Demon [[Hiranyakashipu]]]].The burning of Holika is the most common historical explanation for the celebration of Holi. In different parts of India varying reasons are given for Holika's death. Among those are:<br />
*Lord Vishnu stepped in and hence Holika burnt.<br />
*Holika was given the power by the [[Brahma]] on the understanding that it can never be used to bring harm to anyone.<br />
The Meaning of Holi [http://www.parmarth.com/updates/janfeb2005/holi.html Parmarth] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.is/20120909020825/http://www.parmarth.com/updates/janfeb2005/holi.html |date=2012-09-09 }} Retrieved on 26 October 2007</ref><br />
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==References==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
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{{HinduFestivals}}<br />
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==External links==<br />
[[Category:Holi| ]]<br />
[[Category:Hindu festivals]]<br />
[[Category:Articles containing video clips]]<br />
[[Category:Hindu festivals in India]]<br />
[[Category:Religious festivals in India]]<br />
[[Category:Traditions involving fire]]</div>Trueth