Bhasm Holi Of Banaras: Where Holi Is Played With Ashes Of The Dead

Gulal, gubbare, gujiya and pichkari are the things that make us all excited for Holi. But have you ever heard about Holi being played with ashes? Yes, you read it right. The holy city of Varanasi, also called Benaras, is known for a variety of things like its various ghats, intoxicating bhang, flavourful paan, beautiful sarees, frothy malaio and more. Amongst the ghats is the mahashamshan or great burning ghat of India called the Manikarnika Ghat. The holi at this ghat is played with the ashes of the dead! Yes, you read it right.

Khele Masaane Me Hori

Hindustani classical singer Pandit Chhannulal Mishra from Banaras has sung a Phagwa geet or holi geet about this unique event and how Lord Shiva or Digambar plays holi with ashes at the Masaan (a word for shamshaan). Here are the beautiful lyrics of the geet:

Khele masaane mein horee Digambar, khele masaane mein horee

Bhoot pisaach batoree Digambar,khele masaane mein horee

Lakhi sundar faagunee chhataa ke, man se rang-gulaal haṭaa ke chitaa-bhasm bhar jhoree,

Digambar khele masaane mein horee

Gopan-gopee shyaam na radha, naa koi rok naa kauno baadhaa

Naa saajan naa gore, Digambar khele masaane mein horee

Naachat gaavat damrudhaaree, chhodey sarp-garal pichakaree peetain pret-dhakoree

Digambar khele masaane mein horee

Bhootnaath kee mangal-horee, dekhi sihaay birij ke goree dhan-dhan naath aghoree

Digambar khele masaane mein horee

So, What’s The Legend Of Bhasma Holi?

It is believed that during one colourful ekadashi, a day after Lord Shiva was coming back after completing a marital custom with Devi Parvati, he went to the Mahashamshan or Manikarnika Ghat or Varanasi. There he had played chita bhasm holi with ghosts, spirits and invisible energies! The ascetics and saints of Kashi started playing holi, keeping this legend in mind. Now, this tradition is being carried on by common people too.

How Is The Bhasma Holi Of Benaras Played?

In case, you happen to visit Benaras during Holi, do not forget to check out the unique sight of the chita bhasm holi. First of all, Lord Shiva is worshipped and presented with a special bhog Prasad of bhang, ganja, and madira. Then, a crowd of people gets together at the ghat and various musical instruments are played to create a festive atmosphere. Devotees go into a frenzy and the excitement continues to peak. At first they start smearing bhasm or ashes collected from the burnt pyres gently and throw it into air. Then everyone starts throwing the ashes into the air in a mood of celebration and the entire Manikarnika ghat gets enveloped in a mist of ashes. It is quite an interesting sights even for the people who come from all parts of the country to bid a final goodbye to their loved ones at the burning ghat. Forgetting the sad moments of losing their close ones, they too become a part of the experience for a while.

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The Legend Of Holika Dahan

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The night before holi is played across the country, chhoti holi is celebrated by burning the effigy of the demoness Holika who was the aunt of the mortal Prahlad and burnt to death after she tried to kill him. Although she had a special cloak to avoid getting burnt, with the blessings of Vishnu, the trick backfired and she Prahlad escaped even as she died a gruesome death. To celebrate this legend, traditionally fires are lit by people on the eve of holi.

Benefits Of Holika Bhasm

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Applying ashes on your skin may seem like a very strange thing to do but apparently it is pretty beneficial. The bhasm or ashes that remain after holika dahan are brought home by many people who believe that it keeps away negative energies. If a person has been suffering from a disease since a long time, putting ghee, cloves, batasha and paan leaf in the fire of holika, collecting the ashes the next day and smearing it on the sick person can alleviate their symptoms. This along with a host of remedies are said to solve a bunch of problems but do they actually work? Only depends on what you believe in.