Holi Celebration and Color As Communication Research Paper

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Holi, Colors speak and people Play!

Indian culture is enriched with traditions, religious ceremonies and festive celebrations. The paper is about historical and religious significance of Holi, a spring celebration which is also referred to as the 'celebration of colors'. However, the event dates back to ancient Hindu religious celebrations. In South Asia, Holi has also gained popularity among non-Hindus. It is majorly celebrated in India, Nepal and other parts of the world wherever Hindu communities reside. The event starts a night before Holi with Holika, which is the bonfire where people gather in masses to dance and sing around the fire. The very next morning Holi is celebrated by playing with colors, singing and dancing. However, there are few symbolic elements prominently observed in Holi carnival. Every single person adorns in complete white, has water gun fight, plays with colors in the shape of dry powder and drinks "Bhang." The drink is prepared by mixing flower buds and leaves of cannabis plant and few other ingredients and is famously used as an intoxicant. The practice has been observed since ancient Hindu Holy traditions. It is commonly acknowledged as standard practice.

The research paper will examine the overt and nuanced usage of color in the Holi Festival. Holi is a festival celebrated in spring all throughout India, which originates in Hindu mythology. While there are various myths which seek to explain the exact origins of the festival, the most popular one involves Krishna and Radha. According to Hindu mythology, the darker-skinned Krishna was extremely envious of the lighter skinned Radha and complained so much that his mother doused him in colors (Wangu 121). The research paper will attempt to determine how exactly color functions on a religious, cultural, symbolic and primal level within the Holi festival. The Holi festival is one of the most long-standing traditions within India and is beloved to many. The paper will attempt to examine what the exact elements of this festival are, which touch upon such a primal and fundamental needs and desires of human beings. This festival is not just glorified in India, but is mimicked joyfully in a range of western countries, a tendency, which gives support to the notion that it is not just an Indian cultural festival, but an act, which expresses a basic need of humanity.

The event welcomes everyone belonging to different classes and bringing them together. People from different age groups children, elders, men and women, rich and poor religiously celebrate the event. The carnival usually takes place in open streets and in large groups where color people play with colors and water guns. People come out on streets, temples and carry drums and other musical instruments to create a festive vibe, sing, and dance and go from place to place. People visit their family members, relatives and friends to play with color and celebrate the event together. People meet their foes as well as the event signifies defeat of evil and victory of goodness.

Holi has astronomical significance as it is celebrated when Phalguna Pumina (full moon night) is observed at the loom of vernal equinox. The date of the event is not fixed and varies every year depending on the calendar of Hindus but usually observed in the month of March and sometimes February according to the calendar of Georgian. The event typically denotes triumph of good and defeat of evil, commencement of spring season and end of winter season. The event also plays a significant role in bringing together friends and foes so they can forgive each other.

Areas of Study

The research paper will study Holi in the context of symbolism of colors. The religious and historical aspect of Holi as an ancient color celebration will also be studied in this paper. The main areas of concern are Historical and religious significance of Holi, Symbolism of colors and other elements observed in Holi, Comparison of Holi to Color run and Significance of Colors.

Each of the above dynamics of this research will be studied in detail relating to color and its significance in the literature review section and data analysis.

Figure 1 www.holism2013.blogspot.com

Assumptions and Delimitations

The paper will conversely encounter number of factors that delimits the study. The first and foremost limitation to the study is time constraint that does not make it possible to incorporate all possible variables that make a contribution to religious and historical significance of Holi. The second limitation incurred is generalization of the results with respect to the entire population (Albers 52).

The behaviors and reactions can vary from person to person, hence, it can be stated that human behavior cannot be objectively studied.

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Therefore, these are mere patterns of human behavior that can change from time to time, from person to person.

There are certain assumed notions that have helped build general views on the topic. However, the assumptions are that the outcome and results of the study will be sufficient enough to generalize the entire population.

Literature Review

Holi is not restrained to any one particular region only but in the overtly global world the carnival has become a fun event organized by different communities on different lands. The Indian committee of students at Drexel organized Holi celebration for thirty students where people splashed colors at each other. The event was marked a huge success as the number of participants grew by many fold, from 30 to 90 people. However, when people from other communities joined in curiosity, the celebration forced them to know the significance behind this color celebration. At that moment, they were told that it is a ritual which brings people of Hindu community together and all differences are left behind, be it social status, animosity, sectarian and etc. The concept of common celebration amongst rich and poor and of all social classes and age attracted many students belonging to entirely different culture, ethnicity and background. The picture below represents the Holi celebration at its brim and the excitement of people.

Figure 2 www. drexelpublishing.org

However, the exchange students from foreign states that resided in India also take part in Holi celebration and enjoy the event marked with colors and happiness. The picture below is representation of two cultures coming in contact and embracing each other's traditions with utter respect. Two exchange students who spent a year in India celebrated Holi at a friend's house and acknowledged the significance of the event and promised to take back in United States and cherish this experience.

Figure 3 www.drexelpublishing.org

Human rights are comprehended as unchallengeable basic rights that are intrinsically entitled to every individual. However, much can be debated on the cultural relativity of the subject (Goethe 18). Many scholars have a different approach on the subject matter. Hence, many anthropologists consider human rights to have achieved significance on a global level, yet it is culturally varied. One cultural right can be wrong for the other; therefore, human rights cannot be objectified keeping in mind varied cultures and their traditions (Itten 70). However, these varied cultures may allow few traditions as socially acceptable that may be a matter of child abuse in other cultures, for instance male circumcision and female genital mutilation. Another example would be the perception of black teeth as a sign of beauty in some cultures. It must be borne in mind that culture is purely a man-made phenomenon that allows certain norms to be culturally and socially acceptable and is believed a natural phenomenon. Therefore, norms and traditions may vary from culture to culture. (Kandinsky 87).

However, many scholars have questioned whether or not the belief that what one culture might hold as vesture might be a condemnable in other culture, does not mark any moral standards. How can human rights be classified in terms of good and bad, they have to be good for everyone; equal educational opportunities cannot go wrong in any country except in countries that are rigid in such beliefs. Cultures close to religions have more solid beliefs in certain norms. Hence, anthropologists argue that one's right is other's right as well. The present scenario has left many anthropologists uncertain about the validity of any such claims. Rosen studied Krutch's concept of equating two theories; moral anarchy and relativism. To comprehend other cultures is crucial than deferment of conclusion for such theories. Anthropologists agree on social grounds that it is not just a culture that an individual learns and acquires with time but it is a specific culture. The aptitude to posses a culture fails to qualify the notion that it is visible in some particular structure.

However, it is doubtful to argue that parallel features incorporated with other rudiments in a culture will almost certainly differ; the common notion that even the universally acclaimed standards have the same folding in every part of the world falls flat on the surface of reality. Hence, boundaries, economics, society and religion are all very important features to lay foundation to the accomplishment of similar recognition to universal….....

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