Holi, known as the festival of colours and love, is widely celebrated across India, bringing joy and festivity to communities. It's a time for friends and family to come together, playfully dousing each other in vibrant hues and enjoying delectable sweets. This annual festival heralds the arrival of spring and, in many regions, pays homage to the enduring love story of Radha and Krishna.
However, in Varanasi, Holi takes on a special significance with its association with Lord Shiva. Varanasi observes three distinct varieties of Holi: the traditional Holi, Rangbhari Ekadashi, and Masan ki Holi (also known as Bhasm Holi), each showcasing the city's unique cultural heritage and traditions alongside the nationwide celebrations.
What Is Masan Holi?
After Rangbhari Ekadashi, devotees of Lord Shiva in Varanasi partake in a unique tradition known as Masan or Bhasma Holi. This ritual, steeped in ancient cultural customs, unfolds at the Manikarnika Ghat, where participants engage in a distinctive celebration believed to involve Lord Shiva playing Holi with pyre ashes.
According to Dhwani Astro, during the second day of Rangbhari Ekadashi, Lord Shiva, accompanied by his divine retinue, descends upon the Manikarnika Ghat. There, he bestows blessings upon devotees and partakes in the joyful festivities of Holi, using ash as a symbolic substitute for coloured powder, known as Gulaal Swarup. This ash is revered as a representation of purity and devoutness towards Lord Shiva.
Legend holds that initially, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati celebrated Holi with other deities on Rangbhari Ekadashi following their divine union. However, as certain supernatural beings favoured by Lord Shiva, such as ghosts and vampires, abstain from participating in the festival, he returns to the Masan Ghat the following day. Lord Shiva joyously engages in playing Holi with these beings, symbolising his boundless acceptance and love for all creatures.
Masan Holi Varanasi 2024 Date
Varanasi's (food options from Varanasi) Bhasm Holi or Masan Holi for the year 2024 is slated to be celebrated on Thursday, March 21st, 2024.
Masan Holi 2024 Significance
During Bhasma Holi, devotees and priests assemble at various temples and ashrams across Varanasi to participate in the festivities. The celebration kicks off with a magnificent aarti ceremony at the Masaan temple near Manikarnika Ghat, infusing the atmosphere with fervent devotion as devotees ritually anoint the Shivling with ashes. The ashes used during Bhasma Holi are traditionally gathered from the cremation grounds, serving as a symbol of the cyclical nature of life, death, and rebirth.
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What Is Special About Manikarnika Ghat?
According to the official page of UP Tourism, Manikarnika stands as one of the five oldest and most significant pilgrimages and ghats in Kashi. Its name, Manikarnika, stems from the presence of the Manikarnika Kund on the ghat, along with the associated legend. Initially, this ghat held prominence as a major Vishnu pilgrimage, with the Manikarnika Kund being known as Chakrapushkarni. Legend has it that during a moment when Shiva and Parvati were by the pond, Parvati's earring gem fell into the Chakrapushkarni. The ghat acquired its name, Manikarnika, signifying the spot where Parvati's gem fell. Today, this ghat in Kashi is renowned both as a pilgrimage site and as a cremation ground.
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Banaras, often referred to as the city of Moksha or liberation, advocates for embracing death as a divine opportunity. The eternal flames illuminate the ghats along the Ganges River, symbolising the perpetuity of life's cycle. Manikarnika Ghat, serving as the primary cremation ground in Banaras, upholds this unique tradition, embodying the solemnity and spiritual significance associated with the process of cremation.
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Credits: Santosh Photography Instagram, India Photo Concept Instagram
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