The Making of a Holi-Yantra

Apart from throwing them at each other, Holi colours also have other beautiful uses. In Hardwar - Utteranchal, a special Holi ceremony was recorded this year, actually originating from the region of Bareilly - Uttar Pradesh. Family members created a beautiful yantra pattern with the Holi colours upon which the cowdung firetower is placed. The animated recording (364 kB) may take a while to download, but the waiting is worthwile

he work starts with a border and a Ganesh-yantra in the middle. Several Swistika symbols are used also, of course only the form that turns clockwise (sunwise) and represents the energy of creation. The Swastika that was used by the nazi's is turning against the sun and represents destruction. Finally chains of cowdung-"pearls" are put on top of it, with some paper inside and some paper sticks for lighting. The cowdung itself is also decorated with Holi colours. All that happened in the evening of the 28th of March.
On the next morning, the men of the house go out towards the river Ganga where a huge Holi-bonfire has been burning. They make 7 rounds of the fire, lighting some large reed sticks and bringing some embers back to the house. With these the cowdung pile on the yantra is set afire. Now it is the turn of the women of the house to start the seven rounds around that fire. After that Holi sweets are distributed and Holi colours are thrown at each other. Then the men of the house visit friends and neighbours to celebrate Holi further in likewise fashion, suffering on the way from colour-attacks by the local youth. Meanwhile the women of the house entertain similar visitors coming from other houses.

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