Holi Special Lunch

Holi is a welcoming of spring festival that is celebrated in almost all parts of India. This is celebrated on Phalgun Poornima | Full Moon day and normally falls in the month of March.

This festival symbolizes the end of winter and the beginning of spring also known as Vasantha Utsavam.

Many mythological stories are centered around this auspicious day.

In TamilNadu , SouthIndia, this is known as Panguni Uthram as on this day the star Uthiram and the full moon occur together and is considered very auspicious as this is considered as the marriage anniversary of many mythological deities. It is also believed that it was on this day when the ocean of milk was churned by the Gods and Demons, Goddess Mahalakshmi incarnated on earth! 

In NorthIndia, there is a wonderful romantic story behind this day. As a child, when the demoness Putana made baby Krishna drink poisonous milk, Lord Krishna turned to a wheatish complexion. As a child seeing every one around him including Radha to be fairer than him, he used to ask his Yashomati Maiya...Radha kyon gori, mein kyon kala - why am I dark when Radha is fair? That's when Yashomati Maiya says to Krishna that he can colour Radha's face with any colour of choice...and playfully Krishna does so. That;s how Radha and Krishna bonded and became a couple and hence this is also a day when couples palyfully colour each other, tease one another and splash coloured water.

The story that I have read as a child is that Holi signifies the burning of evil and the victory of good and righteousness. When Prahalada, a Lord Vishnu devout, refused to worship his own father, the enraged King Hiranyakashipu requested his sister Holika to sit with Prahalada on her lap, on top of a burning pyre. This was on account of Holika having been given a miracle cloak - the boon that no fire would harm her when she is covered in that miracle cloak. But as soon as she sat with Prahalada on her lap, the cloak covered itself onto Prahalada while Holika burnt to ashes and Prahalada was saved.

This is the reason why on the eve of Holi, we still have the ritual of burning a pyre and circumambulating it. It is symbolic of the defeat of evil over good. A day when we cast away all that which has bound us be it hate, fear, negative thoughts and habits and the ringing in of hope and all that which is positive and good!

The next day, that is Holi, the time is spent with family and friends, playing cheerfully with colours and splashing coloured water thru Pichkaris or sometimes dunking one another in big tuns of water! This apart from the enjoyment, has a deep significance that we forgive one another, mend relations, create new joyful memories of this day and take that forward. After this, all return to their respective homes and have the traditional bath, cleansing the colours. Then it is time to visit family and friends, having special sweets and savories and enjoying the day.

Somehow we never prefer the colour play and even as a child I used to fill water balloons and just drop them on the ground trying to make patterns with the spluttered water! Then when read about importance of water, stopped this water balloon business too! I ardently hope that each of us imbibe the true significance of Holi - discarding the bad the evil and accepting and looking forward to a brighter positive thought! That would be truly a colourful holi as there would be such fantastic cheerful emotions and as a human it is our foremost duty to stay happy...be peaceful!

Wishing all you wonderful readers a

  HAPPY HOLI!

Today Amma made the most colourful medley and we relished it thoroughly. Really thankful to The Almighty for such wonderful meal and dearest Amma for preapring it with 100% shudh love and affection!

Pathir Pheni, Whole Wheat Malpua, Sweet Potato Gulab Jamun, Pal Payasam, Mango Thokku, Moong Sprouts, Methi Tomato Rice, Palak Raita, Steamed Rice, Mullangi Sambar, Alu Shimla Mirch, Tomato Rasam, Pappadam, Kothamalli Moru, Fryums.

Sharing the same with all of you...Bon appetite...

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About C R Meena

(c) 2014 - 2016, Meena's Taste Mantra is the result of my ardent desire to share my recipes, with all who appreciate and celebrate food. These recipes are as a result of 60 years of cooking experience, influenced by tradition and exposure to various concepts, new recipes/ingredients and a passion for cooking - adapting to healthier alternatives.