Holi, short for the Hindu spring festival Rang Panchami, is celebrated throughout India. According on local customs, it can last anywhere from two to five days. It falls on the 5th day of the dark fortnight in the Hindu calendar month of Phalgun.

A bonfire, known as a Holika, is lit 5 days prior Rang Panchami, and on the following day, people celebrate the arrival of spring by flinging color powder at one another. Nearly whole of India celebrates Holi five days before a full moon. Many city dwellers now prefer Holi to Rang Panchami, and the media’s portrayal of the former has helped to solidify the latter’s decline in popularity. Rang Panchami is still celebrate with the same fervour in rural regions, nevertheless.

Rang Panchami: A Brief History

This festival of Rang Panchami has been celebrate since ancient times. Over a period of time in the past, Holi celebrations spanned multiple days. Rang Panchami mark the conclusion of the Holi celebrations, as the vibrant hues were gradually washed out. Holi, or Rang Panchami as it is often known, is celebrated on the Krishna Panchami Tithi of the Krishna Paksha of the Chaitra month.

Different legends of Rang Panchami

There are two legends surrounding Rang Panchami in Hindu mythology.

This is a case of Prahlad and Hiranyakashyap

The evil king Hiranyakaship of Hindu legend declared himself a god and commanded his subjects to worship him alone. Nevertheless, his one and only son, Prahlad, steadfastly refuse to capitulate since he was a follower of Lord Vishnu. The Hindu god who traditionally viewed as the world’s protector and provider. Because of this, the monarch repeatedly issue death warrants for Prahlad and attempt to have him killed; however, each time Prahlad spared by merely uttering the name of Vishnu.

The monarch eventually summon his evil sister, Holika, who given the gift of invulnerability to flames by a god. She held Prahlad, her young son, in her lap as she sat amidst the raging fire. As the flames finally subsided, Prahlad unharmed but Holika had been reduce to ashes.

The good results of a customised Vishnu Puja can help you find peace and wealth if you feel they are lacking in your life.

Krishna & Putna

It is also the day that people commemorate the death of the female demon Putna. Lord Krishna‘s maternal uncle, Kansa, was the king of the region and an enemy of his because of the prophecy of his destiny. With the intention of eliminating Krishna as well, Kansa gave the female demon orders to slaughter all newborn children in the area.

After assuming human shape, Putna went on a killing spree around the country, stopping to nurse any and all infants she came across. Having Krishna discover who she depleted her vitality. The parents of the kids she poisoned later burned her corpse.

Date and Timings of Rang Panchami in 2023?

On the 5th day of the Holi festival, people gather to celebrate Rang Panchami 2023. Rang Panchami will fall on Tuesday, March 12, 2023, since Holi occurs on March 7.

At 12:35 a.m. on March 12, 2023, Panchami Tithi will begin.

This Panchami Tithi will end at 12:31 a.m. on March 13, 2023.

Rang Panchami’s Importance

The five hues of Rang Panchami symbolise the five elements that make up the human body and the universe, as the name says. Color games played in the Panchami’s Ranga as a way to honour the Pancha Tattva, or the five elements (Agni (fire), Prithvi (earth), Jal (water), Vayu (air), and Akash (space).

Let’s go to a more in-depth analysis of the relevance.

Why Do We Have Bonfires?

The Hindu religion has traditionally placed a spiritual value on fires and bonfires. Holi wouldn’t be complete without the ritual of lighting bonfires to commemorate the deaths of the villains Holika and Putna. As Prahlad rescued, and Holika reduced to ashes, some people celebrated the triumph of good over evil. The relatives of the children Putna killed burned her body, but some people rejoiced her death.

Gathering wood shavings and shattered pieces of furniture from every house can take weeks of planning. All around India, once the moon has risen, bonfires are light to the sound of drums. Singing and dancing around bonfires is a form of worship for some people. They think that if people purify their souls by offering coconut to a campfire, they would remain physically and mentally fit for more than a year. Many people think that bringing ashes or partially burned wood into their homes will protect them from illness.

Why Colors Used?

The deities of the different colours awakened by the fire from the bonfire the night before, which destroys the Rajas and Tamas particles in the air. A person’s greed, malice, gluttony, and devotion to material things are all manifestations of the predominance of Rajas and Tamas particles, which can be a barrier to enlightenment.

Rang Panchami is a festival honouring the Hindu belief that the forces of good have triumphed over the forces of evil, symbolised by the flinging of coloured powders into the air.

Rang Panchami customs

• Wash your hands and feet with a mixture of Ganga jal and tap water.
• Flowers offered to Goddess Laxmi said to bring financial success and abundance to the household.
• Burn a lamp of ghee in honour of Laxmi, the goddess of wealth.
• Burn some incense before the statue of Laxmi, the goddess of wealth.
• Because the Goddess of Wealth, Laxmi, prefers white, white candies are appropriate offerings.
• Having fun with colour is a great way to spend time with loved ones.
• Lord Krishna and Radha Devi also deities worshipped by devotees.

The Festival of Moon (Rang Panchami)

• People in Madhya Pradesh typically congregate near the site of the ceremony, which involves the joining of water canons and water tanks using high-pressure jets. It rains down bright colours and water on the crowd in the street. People in Indore flock to Rajwada to be spray with paint by canons. In this culture, bhang used to enhance party atmosphere.
• Phalgun Poornima and Rang Panchami are two names for the same holiday use in Maharashtra.
• Goans use the forms Shimgo and Shimga to refer to the state. They throw a party for everyone, regardless of their religious beliefs, and try to ignore their differences for the day.
• Matki-phod Holi, which celebrates Lord Krishna, also well-liked in the Indian states of Gujarat and Maharashtra.
• When it comes to celebrating Rang Panchami, a different kind of celebration seen at the temples of Bihar, Mathura, Vrindavan, and Gokul.
• Celebration of Holi seen as a sacrifice to the god Kama, the patron of love, in the Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh. In the spring, Cupid God prowls the woods in search of unsuspecting humans to woo. Kama Dahanam celebrated to mark the day cupid deity was sacrificed by Lord Shiva and set on fire.
• Yoshang, Pichkari, or Deol, the names used in the northeastern Indian states of Manipur, Assam, Sikkim, and Meghalaya. This celebration in Manipur can go on for up to six days. On this day also, preparations made for the traditional dance event.
• Holi – known as Basant Utsav or Dol Poornima in the Indian states of West Bengal and Odisha. Dol Poornima is also known as the Swing Festival because, in place of bonfires, figures of the infant forms of Lord Krishna are placed and cradled in swings that have been decorated with flowers and colour powders. Women also enjoy music, singing, and celebratory swinging on swings as part of the Holi festival.

It is also believed to be the celestial union day of Lord Krishna and his lover Radha, thus devotees worship both of them on this day. It’s meant to keep the love alive between believers and their loved ones. Among the most entrancing aspects of Rang Panchami, especially for the fishing communities and societies, is the performance of the traditional Palkhi dance.