English Essay/Paragraph/Speech on “Holi” for Kids and Students for Class 8, 9, 10, Class 12 and Graduation Examination

Holi

Essay No. 01

The festival of colours, Holi is celebrated in the month of Phalgun It falls on the full moon day. The festival of Holi encompasses two days of celebrations during which people throw gulal on each other, sing and dance to the beat of dholak and enjoy a variety of sweets and other delicious food.

In the cities of Mathura and Vrindavan, where it is believed that Lord Krishna played Holi with the Gopis, Holi is celebrated with great ardour.

The first day of Holi signifies the destruction of Putana by the infant Krishna. During the second day of Holi, people smeargulal on each other. In some households the children are given Makhanas, dried fruits and sweets. A huge bonfire is made and people worship it and go around the fire. People also roast green barley in it.

Apart from the celebrations and festivities, Holi also signifies the destruction of all evil. In the evening people visit friends and relatives to exchange gifts.

Essay No. 02

Holi

Holi is one of the important festivals of the Hindus. It is called the ‘Festival of Colour’. It is celebrated all over the country with great pomp and show.

This festival marks the advent of spring and the end of winter. People rejoice on this occasion. We can witness the blooming gardens where flowers can be seen in their thousands. There is greenery everywhere and it looks as if nature were in its full bloom.

There are number of legends on account of which this festival is celebrated. Prahlada was God-fearing son of Hirnayakashyap, the ruler, who was a tyrant. In his rule the subjects were terror-stricken due to his cruelties. Hirnayakashyap did not allow the people to worship God. He said that they should worship him instead of God, as he alone did bestow all the blessings upon the people.

He had imprisoned many saints. His son Prahlada did not like his attitude. He used to worship Lord Vishnu. He revolted against his father’s orders and he continued worshipping Lord Vishnu. Thus his father ordered that he should be trampled under the feet of the elephants. The order was carried out but he was saved. Then he was thrown down the hills, but he was saved. Then he was asked to clasp the burning pillar, which he did, but he was safe. At this Hirnayakashyap wanted to kill him with his own sword. When he pounced upon Prahlada, Lord Vishnu (incarnated as Narsimha), the God appeared and tore Hirnayakashyap to pieces with his sharp nails and thus ending evil.

The people celebrate this festival with great joy as a token of the victory of gods over the devils. They besmear their bodies with colour and parade the streets. Some of the people carry buckets full of coloured water and they tease the passersby. These people sprinkle water on them through syringes. The street urchins are very difficult to handle. They usually throw coloured water on every one that passes through the streets. The streets become slippery and the walls get disfigured. No passer-by can remain dry. Sometimes there are quarrels. It is better to avoid this incident.

We can witness groups of people wearing masks and carrying drums in their hands. They dance and sing their way through the streets. They play farces on the way to attract the people to their side. Sometimes people cut jokes with their friends.

Holi is celebrated in the Brija area with much greater vigour. There, the ladies throw water on the men folk. Sometimes they beat them with sticks. They sing phag and besmear gulal on one another’s faces and create a joyful atmosphere. The chief attraction of Holi in the Brij is that ladies join shoulders with gents (men). It is a scene worth seeing. It is said that Lord Krishna used to play here. The scenes of those days are re-enacted here. People stage dramas to show the importance of the festival. People in their thousands witness such dramas.

All the schools and colleges remain closed on this occasion. It is a holiday all over the country in all the Government and private offices. Holi is a national festival of rejoicing for the common man all over the country. The farmers hail the advent of the spring and they dance and sing on this occasion. Thus this festival marks an era of joy and mirth all over the country.