This was a beautiful street temple in Mathura, India. Notice the dried dung set up under the altar. At night the idol is burned on the dried cow dung.
The night before Holi is called "Chhoti Holi" or “Holika Dahan”. People gather in the streets and lite bonfires made from cow dung. The bonfires symbolize the victory of good over evil and removing the old to replace with the new. Singing and dancing are performed around the fire. This ritual originates from the story of the demoness Holika, who tried to kill Prahlada, in the flames of fire. Even though Holika was supposed to be immune to fire, she was burned to ashes. Prahlada was not harmed by the fire. This is one of the most popular Holi stories.
Holi is actually a multiple day festival. Before the main celebration of Holi, there is Holika Dahan or Choti Holi (the “small Holi”), where people gather around fires in the streets to dance, sing and to let go of any negative thoughts and actions from the last year. All sorts of things are thrown into the flames, including leaves, wood and even food offerings like coconut and chickpeas. Choti Holi is a release. It is permission to start again new and overcome any negative energy. The ritual is done to remember the burning of the demoness Holika.
Suttee - Hindu custom
Also known as: satī (“good woman” or “chaste wife”), is the Indian custom of a wife immolating herself either on the funeral pyre of her dead husband or in some other fashion soon after his death. Although it was never widely practiced, suttee was the ideal of womanly devotion held by some Brahman and royal castes. It is sometimes linked to the myth of the Hindu goddess named Sati, who burned herself to death in a fire that she created through her Yogic powers after her father insulted her husband (the god Shiva) -In this myth Shiva remains alive and avenges Sati’s death.
I am so glad that I got to experience Holika Dahan in Mathura, India.
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