The Vibrant Colours of Friendship and Harmony

“Holi: Where every picture tells a colourful story.”

- Anonymous

 The colourful festival of Holi, originated in India but celebrated the world over now, has its roots in ancient Indian traditions and agricultural practices. The elders in my family had told me that it was originally celebrated to welcome the advent of spring and to pray for a bountiful harvest. Subsequently, it became associated with folklore of Gods and demons, depending on the part of India you are in. If you have lived long enough in India and had the good fortune to traverse the length and breadth of this culturally diverse land, you would have come across the many different traditions that are followed to celebrate Holi. If an effigy of Putana is burnt in North India, a bonfire is lit in Maharashtra and Goa to celebrate the burning of the demoness Holika. The same bonfire, when lit in South India, signifies the burning of Lord Kamdev, the deity of desire, which is symbolic of burning of human desires, considered the root cause of all evil in society. Notwithstanding the variations in tradition, this festival is celebrated with great gaiety across the globe by smearing colourful powder on each other’s faces, in an act of pure love and affection, making it by far the most vibrant and colourful festival in the world.

You have to give it to our forefathers for their vision and forethought in establishing a festival which is not only steeped in mythological and agricultural tradition, but also helps maintain harmony in society. Remember the movie “Saudagar” in which veteran thespians Dilip Kumar and Raaj Kumar, who are bitter enemies throughout the movie, bury the hatchet on Holi when one of them smears colour on the other? Even though I have quoted an incident from a famous movie, there are numerous examples around each and every one of us, if you look around you, where people have set aside their differences on Holi. That is why I reemphasise - whoever established this vibrant festival must have been a great thinker who, having understood the nuances of human behaviour, established an enduring tradition which ensures peace, harmony and happiness in society.

Holi is not only celebrated with colours. This is a day of pure indulgence where revellers gorge on gujiyas, thandai and chaat while simultaneously getting intoxicated with bhang. It is expected of everyone that they will visit their near and dear ones and exchange gifts on this occasion. In addition, community gatherings are organised in different localities, societies, clubs and temples for people to celebrate this spirited festival en masse.  

 When writing this blog about Holi, I kept ruminating on what to add to the gujiyas, gulaal and thandai in order to make the celebrations more cherishable. Readers may recall that in one of my previous blogs, I had mentioned the deep impact of fragrances on the human mind whereby a scent gets associated with a particular event or celebration and which is brought to mind whenever the olfactory senses get a whiff of it. Therefore, I would like to propose that this joyous occasion may be made further memorable and cheerful by choosing some delightful fragrances that enhance the experience as you splash bright colours on your friends and family members.

Think about it - you may have gifted a variety of items on Holi in the past. This time around, let’s do it differently. Let’s buy a bottle of perfume for gifting to others, a scent which would bind the memories of friendship on Holi with an unforgettable fragrance. And let us indulge in some self-pampering as well…lets buy a bottle of perfume which suits this occasion and makes us stand out in the crowd.

While you are spoiled for choice at HVNLY perfumes, my personal recommendation for joyous and cheerful festival like Holi is Charm for the man and Grace and Blossom for the lady. Bring out the finesse of the feminine with the unique Grace perfume or the next-door-girl with Blossom, as you throw gulaal in the air. Give yourself or your friend the opportunity to become a charming prince on this festival of colours by donning the amazing Charm perfume for men.

Don’t miss this occasion. Add more colour to your life this Holi by wearing an attractive perfume from the HVNLY collection.

Author : Sandipani Padhi