Glimpses Of World Religions

Author(s): Gunvant Barvalia
Publisher: Navbharat Sahitya Mandir

Page 33

20
Glimpses of World Religions
Diwali of Gujarat and the Holi of Marwar, Rajasthan” is a wellknown adage. The people prayed to God Agni (God of fire) to save Prahlad and so this child-devotee Prahlad was safe and sound, being unburnt and unhurt, even in the oven of fire (Agnikund). That is the reason why fire in the form and name of 'Holi' is worshipped; also, at that particular night, devotees give offerings like coconuts etc. The people, overjoyed with this amazing protection of Prahlad, celebrated the next day as Dhuleti festival. They played Holi, sprinkling colours like gulal and the coloured waters of Kesuda flowers. The sproutings of new flowers of Phalguna month are being played with. This festival is implied to mean burning of the indecent, immoral instincts lurking in man and it is not all the festival of gambling or uttering slangs, nor of throwing muds at one another Gudi Padvo
This is the first day (Padvo) of the Chaitra month. It is well-known as Chaitra Sud Pratipada in Maharashtra; or Gudi Padva is the popular name. On this day God Shree Rama had freed the land of South from the clutches of Vali. So the 'subjects' or the masses had expressed delight by hoisting their flags. The jars made of copper are known as Gudi. On this day, the silver jars, the jars of copper or bronze are tied and bound with a new cloth and the same are kept on a stick, in an inverted condition, near the window or a door. In the late evening, they try to locate the New Moon in the sky, because the lovely sight of the moon 'Chandra-darshan' is regarded as very 'goodomen'. It is customary to relish sweetmeats on this day. In Malbar and Kerala, this festival is celebrated in quite a different fashion. In Malbar, the members of family, getting up very early, go to the space kept for God's worship in their own houses, with closed eyes. The Sindhis call this day as “Cheti Chand”. But