holi festivalholi – the festival of colour holi, a traditional hindu festival which celebrates the...

www.derbygrammar.org

At Home, with Derby Grammar School

Holi Festival


Holi – The Festival of Colour

Holi, a traditional Hindu festival which celebrates the beginning of spring – new life and love. It commemorates the good harvests and fertile land. It is the start of new hopes and relationship and is signified through the bursts of colour everywhere. The festival originates from India but is widely celebrated around the world. Some families hold religious ceremonies but lots of families also use the festival as a time to have lots of fun! There is dancing, singing and on one day they even throw powder paint and coloured water in the air. Just look at the photo below – they have lots of bright colours over their hair and faces!


When is the Holi Festival 2021?

Every year the festival celebrations take place over two days, beginning around the time of the full moon. So, this year it will take place on Sunday 28th March and Monday 29th March. The first evening is known as Holika Dahan. People gather around a bonfire to celebrate the victory of good over evil. They perform religious rituals, which includes prayers that any evil inside them is destroyed. The following day is Holi, or Rangwali Holi. This is when the famous colourful powders are thrown.


The story of Holi

There are a few hindu legends surrounding Holi, but this story is the most popular. Hiranyakashipu was a very evil king. He had powers that made him nearly invincible and he wanted everyone in his kingdom to worship him. He was so powerful that he started to act like a god. He punished or killed anyone who disobeyed him and his people became very afraid of him.

Hiranyakashipu had a son called Prahlad. Prahlad did not respect his father and worshipped a god called Vishnu instead. This made his father very angry and jealous. He plotted to kill Prahlad. Hiranyakashyap made Prahlad jump in a well, he was unharmed, saved by Vishnu.

Hiranyakashyap tried to poison Prahlad. The poison turned to nectar in Prahlad’s mouth, thanks again to Vishnu’s intervention.

Then, Hiranyakashya ordered that wild elephants should trample Prahlad, but he was not hurt, because Vishnu protected him.

Next, Prahlad was put in a room with poisonous, angry snakes, but still nothing happened to him as Vishnu protected him.

The King asked his sister Holika to help kill Prahlad. Holika wanted to help so she made a plan.


She had a special coat that protected her from fire. She put on her magic cloak and led poor Prahlad into a fire. Because she was using her powers for evil, her plan failed. The cloak whizzed from her back and covered Prahlad. He was now safe!

Lord Vishnu appeared as half-man, half-lion and killed Hiranyakashyap at dusk, on his porch steps and blessed Prahlad for his devotion.

A Holika bonfire is lit every year to remind us of the victory of good over evil. Holi is celebrated on the day after the bonfire.


Make Your Own Holi Festival Card Why not send a colourful painted card to your friend or family to celebrate the Holi Festival. Materials

Card

Washable paint Fold the card in half so that your hand fits on the card. Using a paint brush, paint your hands using lots of bright colours. Press your hands firmly down on the card – don’t move them or the paint will smudge! You can now carefully lift your hands up and wash the paint off. Leave the card to dry before writing your greeting inside.


Make Your Own Holi Festival Bonfire Attached to the pack, is a picture of a bonfire. Using playdough, can you make some bright flames? Materials

Bonfire picture attached in the pack

Playdough


Make Your Own Holi Festival Percussion During the Holi Festival, people love to play music and dance. Enjoy making some percussion instruments so you can celebrate too! Materials

Drinks bottles with lids

Tins with lids, such as coffee tins or cocoa tins

Shaker ingredients, such as lentils, dried beans, sand or dried rice

Sticky backed paper or wrapping paper (and glue)

Stickers

Coloured marker pens Pour some ingredients into your bottles or tins. You don’t need much to make a good shaker. Seal the lids with strong tape, such as duct tape. Now you can decorate your instruments. We used sticky backed paper and patterned selotape.


Make Your Own Coconut Ladoo

Coconut ladoo are a bright and easy Indian sweet treat to make that taste delicious! Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Ingredients 1 ½ cups/150 grams Desiccated Coconut ½ cup/165 millimetres Condensed Milk or Condensed Coconut Milk Sprinkles, like ‘Hundreds and Thousands’


Instructions Add the desiccated coconut to a frying pan over a medium heat. Warm, stirring frequently until it just

begins to brown. Transfer to a mixing bowl.

Add ¾ of the condensed milk to the bowl and stir until well combined. It should be slightly sticky.

Roll small pieces in your hands to they look like small balls, about the size of a golf ball.

In a small bowl, pour some sprinkles and roll each of the balls in the bowl and then lay out on

greaseproof paper.


Happy

Holi Festival!

holi festivalholi – the festival of colour holi, a traditional hindu festival which celebrates the...

Documents