Holika Dahan

Holika Dahan, also known as 'Choti Holi', is a profoundly significant ritual observed on the eve of the vibrant festival of Holi. It is a celebration centered around a sacred bonfire, symbolizing the ultimate and inevitable triumph of good over evil, light over darkness, and truth over falsehood. The ritual is deeply rooted in the ancient legend of the demon king Hiranyakashipu, his devout son Prahlada, and his malevolent sister, Holika.

Hiranyakashipu, through intense penance, had earned a boon that made him virtually indestructible. Blinded by this power, he grew arrogant and demanded that everyone in his kingdom worship him as a god. However, his own son, Prahlada, was an unwavering devotee of Lord Vishnu. Enraged by this defiance, Hiranyakashipu made several attempts to kill his son, all of which failed due to Vishnu's divine protection. As a final, sinister plot, he enlisted his sister Holika, who had a special boon that made her immune to fire. She was tasked with sitting on a blazing pyre with Prahlada in her lap. But as the fire roared, the boon failed to protect Holika due to her evil intentions, and she was consumed by the flames, while Prahlada, chanting Vishnu's name, emerged completely unharmed. The bonfire of Holika Dahan commemorates this very event.