Masane Ki Holi:
Today, the festival of Holi is celebrated with great enthusiasm across the country. You may have seen many shades of Holi in the big cities, where it's typically played with colors and gulal. But did you know that Kashi, the city of liberation, celebrates an incredibly unique and incomparable Holi? Varanasi's Manikarnika Ghat witnesses devotees playing Holi with the ashes of the cremated dead.
On Falgun Ekadashi, a palanquin procession with Baba Vishwanath emerges, and people engage in the playful tossing of colors. It is believed that on this day, Lord Shiva, returning to his abode with Mother Parvati after their celestial marriage, plays Holi with the ashes of burning pyres the next day. This sight, amplified by the resonating sounds of drums, the cries of 'Har Har Mahadev', the carefree consumption of cannabis, betel leaves, and refreshing thandai, shows people heartily smearing each other with ashes. The scene is truly wondrous. The faithful believe that Mashan Nath himself plays Holi with the devotees the day after Rangbhari Ekadashi.
When the mother plays Holi in the burial ground, The eternal ascetic plays Holi in the burial ground, Gathering spirits and ghouls, The eternal ascetic plays, casting a gorgeous Phaguni hue, Setting aside the mundane, embracing the vibrance of the pyre's ash, The eternal ascetic dances, with his drum adorning, Forsaking serpentine venom for a spray, Beating the undead with a playful thud, the ascetic rejoices in the Holi of the cremation grounds.. Alongside devotees, Lord Shiva celebrates Holi.
It is believed that in Kashi, Lord Shiva did not just reside with his family but also participated equally in the festivities with the locals. The tradition of playing Holi with devotees in Phalgun is still very much alive. On this day, amidst the echo of drums and chants of 'Har Har Mahadev', the people of Kashi uphold the tradition of smearing one another with ashes.
The auspicious Holi of Bhootnath, The maidens of Vraj are left in awe, Blessed is the Aghori, the nondual Lord, In the cremation grounds, the eternal ascetic indulges in Holi.. Where Holi is played with the ashes from the pyre.
Lord Shiva's Holi celebration after Parvati's homecoming,
It's said that it was on the Manikarnika Ghat of Kashi, where Lord Shiva pledged to grant liberation. Kashi is the unique city where even death is considered auspicious. After the homecoming ceremony of Goddess Parvati, Lord Shiva along with the deities and devotees celebrates Holi, but spirits, ghouls, and other entities cannot join the merrymaking. That's why the next day, Baba arrives at the Manikarnika ghat for a holy dip and engages in Holi with the ashes along with his entourage.
The vibrant form of Kashi Vishwanath
This divine play of the lord of renunciates is observed every year with ritualistic fervor. The luminous spirit of the ashes overshadows even the bright hues of traditional colors, resonating bhajans that cast a unique aura on the atmosphere, immersing every living being present in the divine aura of Lord Shiva.
A special offering of cannabis during Holi
In the city of Shiva, Holi without cannabis and thandai is incomplete. Here, cannabis is considered Lord Shiva's sacred offering. During Holi, there is an arrangement of cannabis. Thandai is prepared with fresh ingredients including saffron, pistachios, almonds, Maghai betel leaves, rose, jasmine, and cannabis. The sweetness of cannabis and thandai mixed with the beats of the drums create an environment that's too captivating for anyone present to simply be a spectator.
