All festivals have a story behind them, Holi is no different. There are many legends about how the festival Holi came to be. Here we take a look at a few of those stories.

Legends behind the festival

For those of us who think Holi is all about creating an almighty mess and is the ultimate test of our combat skills, there is more to this festival. The mythological roots of this fun, and sometimes chaotic festival, are as diverse as the colours involved. The most prominent tale connected to this festival is that of Prahlad and Hiranyakashyap. According to this legend, there once lived a powerful king named Hiranyakashyap who considered himself God and ordered everyone to worship him. His son, Prahlad, was a devotee of Lord Vishnu. Hiranyakashyap, a demon in reality, asked his sister Holika to enter a blazing fire with Prahlad, as she was blessed to have protection from fire. But to Hiranyakashyap's surprise, Prahlad was protected due to his extreme devotion and Holika paid the price for her brother's doings. The tradition of the bonfire or 'Holika Dahan' originates from this legend.

The passionate and young Lord Krishna and the Gopis of Brindavan are also significant in many Holi celebrations.

According to another legend, Goddess Parvati was once undergoing penance to win the love of Lord Shiva. Kaama, the God of Love, decided to assist her and shot a passion-inducing arrow at Shiva. Known for his temper, Lord Shiva woke up from his trance and burnt Kaama. He then married Parvati, fulfilling her penance. Hence, Holi is also celebrated as the festival of love.