One of the most auspicious festivals in the Hindu culture, Holi, is celebrated with great enthusiasm in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. Holika Dahan, celebrated a night before Holi, is one of the most significant aspects of this festival. There is an intriguing manner of celebrating Holika Dahan in Singhpur village located in Narsimhapur tehsil of Narsimhapur district, Madhya Pradesh. This is also known as the Holi of Kandas where the celebrations are performed using the cow dung cakes or the Kandas instead of the wood.
Astrologer Pandit Amar Dabba Wala talked about this in a conversation with News18 Hindi. The Holika bonfire is prepared with the help of the 5,000 Kandas in Singhpur under the Shri Aatal Paatal Mahabhairav Mandir. Post these rituals, the Holika Dahan is performed in the early morning by lighting the fire with the help of Flint, occasionally Flintstone since ancient times. According to the literature of the Shruti: The Four Vedas, this tradition has been followed for the past 3,000 years and also found a connection with King Bhartrihari. As per beliefs, the King participated in the Holi celebrated in the Singhpur village.
In the Singhpur village, the married women and girls who are of marriageable age worship the Holika on the full moon day with the food products considered to bring good luck. These foods include dishes made from Jaggery and a garland of cow dung cakes. This Holika Dahan is famous across the world and the tourists globally arrive in Ujjain to witness it. As per beliefs, the Holika flag is said to have special importance at the time of Holika Dahan and celebrates the victory of good over evil.
In 2024, Holi will be celebrated on Monday, March 25 and the eve of Holi, known as Holika Dahan or Choti Holi, will be observed on Sunday, March 24. According to Drik Panchang, the auspicious time for Holi begins on March 24 at 09:54 AM and concludes at 12:29 PM on the following day.
Holika Dahan holds an important belief and it is said that by performing this ritual, one can ward off different fears. It is believed that Prahlad, a devotee of Lord Vishnu, was saved from the treacherous plans of his father, Hiranyakashyap. Holika, Hiranyakashyap’s sister, who is immune to fire, attempted to use her powers to harm Prahlad. The divine intervention of Lord Vishnu, however, led to Holika’s destruction in the fire.
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