PHAGWA, or Holi, and Diwali are the two most ancient holy days celebrated in Guyana, with their provenance traced back to the late Bronze Age. This year, Phagwa will fall on Friday, 14th March. The festival falls on a different date each year according to the solar calendar used in Guyana, as it is computed based on the lunar calendar. Similarly, all holy days in Islam and Christianity follow the lunar calendar and, therefore, vary from year to year.

In Guyana, the festival is more commonly known as Phagwa, but globally, it is referred to as Holi. For the remainder of this article, we will use ‘Holi.’

Holi, like all ancient festivals, has had various traditions attached to it as it traversed the centuries. The most ancient tradition of Holi’s origin is likely as a Spring Festival. In the temperate zone, the transition from the cold, barren winter to the warmth and renewal of spring—a time of new life and abundance—has always been a cause for celebration in agricultural societies. Holi, with its rituals of general house cleaning and sanitising, communal feasting, singing, dancing, and the joyful sprinkling of coloured water and powders, symbolises this renewal. It is also a time for making new friends and fostering unity among men and women alike.

Another tradition linked to Holi is the celebration of marital love, exemplified by Krishna and his consort, Radha. According to legend, Krishna asked his mother why he was so dark in complexion compared to Radha, who was very fair. His mother told him that differences in complexion were of no importance and playfully suggested that coloured powder could change Radha’s appearance. Krishna and Radha then joined in the Holi celebrations, spraying each other with different colours as an expression of love. The citizens, inspired by their example, adopted this practice as part of the festival.

The most important Holi tradition, however, is the story of Prahalad, which affirms the belief that good will always triumph over evil and that faith in God will protect the believer from all dangers.

Hiranyakashipu, the king of a northern Indian kingdom, practised severe austerities (tapasya) until he came to the notice of Lord Brahma, who sought to reward him. The king requested immortality, but Lord Brahma informed him that this was impermissible. Instead, Hiranyakashipu asked for specific boons—he could not be killed by man or animal, neither at night nor during the day, nor on the earth or in the air. These boons were granted, and he became invincible.

However, this newfound power turned Hiranyakashipu into a tyrant. He declared himself to be God and demanded worship, outlawing devotion to Lord Vishnu. Those who defied him faced death. His own son, Prince Prahalad, remained devoted to Lord Vishnu, refusing to worship his father. Enraged, Hiranyakashipu attempted to kill Prahalad multiple times—throwing him off a cliff, into a well, into a cage with man-eating tigers, and among fierce cobras. Each time, Prahalad was miraculously saved. Even when given deadly poison, it turned to nectar in his mouth.
Hiranyakashipu’s sister, Holika, a witch, offered to help. She possessed a magical coat that protected the wearer from fire. She planned to take Prahalad onto her lap, sit on a pyre, and burn him alive while she remained unscathed. However, as the flames swirled, the coat was blown from Holika onto Prahalad, shielding him while she perished in the fire.

The following afternoon, a furious and demented Hiranyakashipu entered the temple where Prahalad was worshipping Lord Vishnu. Proclaiming himself God, he challenged Vishnu’s omnipresence. When Prahalad insisted that God was everywhere, Hiranyakashipu struck a temple pillar with his sword, demanding, “If God is there, let him come out!”

At that moment, Lord Vishnu emerged from the pillar in the form of Narsingh, a Man-Lion incarnation. A fierce battle ensued, culminating at the temple entrance at dusk. Narsingh seized Hiranyakashipu, sat down, placed him across his knees, and strangled him. In doing so, Vishnu fulfilled the conditions of the king’s death—he was slain by neither man nor animal, neither at night nor day (as it was dusk), and neither on the earth nor in space (as he was on Narsingh’s lap).

The citizens, overjoyed at the downfall of the tyrant and his wicked sister, Holika, celebrated by burning effigies of Holika in bonfires. The following morning, in an eruption of joy, they engaged in feasting, singing, dancing, and sprinkling each other with coloured water and powders. This tradition has endured throughout Holi celebrations. In later centuries, these colours were stylised into four main hues—red, green, blue, and gold—each carrying its own symbolism.

And so, once again, we extend our heartfelt greetings to our readers—Holi Shubh!