The first phase of the festival of colours i.e., Holika Dahan will be celebrated in the city on Sunday with great enthusiasm. As per the astrologers, Holika will be lit after the ‘Bhadra Kaal’ since the time is considered unlucky for any auspicious work. The mahurat for the Dahan will start from 11:15 in the night and will continue till midnight at 12:30. The city has geared up for the Holi revelry. At a time when temperature is crossing 35 degrees Celsius, the city doesn’t seems like lacking in the fervour of the festival. Streets are decorated with the idols of Holika along with her nephew Prahlad, as mentioned in the mythological stories. Stores are also filled up with water guns (pichkari) and water cannons along with colours which are extensively used during the festival. Complying with the food tradition, sweet shops have made special arrangements for the festival.

 

The popular sweets eaten during this time, Gunjiya, Imarti, Lassi and Faluda are being specially prepared by the shopkeepers and cooks for catering the demands of the people. According to the legend, once there was a demon king Hiranyakashyap who had a son named Prahlad. Prahlad was a devotee of Lord Vishnu. The demon King tried hard to stop his son from doing the prayers of the lord and finally he called his sister Holika who had a cloth with her which would prevent her from fire which he received as a boon. When Prahlad and her aunt Holika sat on the pyre, Prahlad was fortunately saved by the grace of the god and Holika was burnt and taking inspiration from the incident, Holika Dahan is celebrated in all parts of the country and is an inseparable part cultural tradition.