Science behind celebration of HOLI and HOIKA DEHAN | Subhojit Panda

India is known globally for his rich culture, history and tradition. More so, our round-the-year festivals are equally colourful and vibrant that gives us a special identity. One such festival is, Holi, a unique Indian festival of colours, which is celebrated on the full-moon day in the month of Phalgun. The festival is marked by smearing natural colours on each others face. People sing and dance, there is joy everywhere. Farmers rejoice the festival since it marks the commencement of the harvest season. The night before Holi, pyres are burnt in fire, a tradition called as Holika Dehan. People place pieces of word for the Holika bonfire and revolve around it singing the religious hymns in the memory of God. This ritual symbolises victory of love and devotion over evil.

While we have all heard about the mythological significance behind celebrating the festival, the scientific significance is equally interesting. Holi is celebrated at that time of the year when the winter season is coming to an end and the summer season is about to begin. The temperature is mostly moderate. This leads to an increase in the number of harmful bacteria’s in the atmosphere and also inside the body. The ritual of burning the bonfire during Holika Dehan and going around it helps in killing these bacteria’s.

Besides, the colors used during Holi also have their own impact on the body. Biologists believe that rubbing colors on the body is a way of treating the body by color therapy. It is said that the color enters the pores and strengthens the ions in the body. This gives a beautiful glow to the skin. Natural colors used during Holi like haldi (turmeric powder), chandan (sandalwood), etc are very much helpful to the skin and helps to kill all germs and bacteria’s.

— Subhojit Panda