Chir raised at Basantapur Hanuman Dhoka, marking holi’s start (photos)

KATHMANDU: The official start of the Holi festival was marked today with the raising of the ceremonial “Chir” at Basantapur Hanuman Dhoka in Kathmandu.

At an auspicious time of 8:33 AM, amidst a vibrant display of music, colorful flags, and banners, the Chir was raised, signifying the commencement of the festival.

The Chir is traditionally hoisted on the eighth day of the bright fortnight of the month of Phagun, specifically at the southern side of the Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Square.

This marks the formal beginning of Holi celebrations across Nepal. The Nepali Army, along with the Gurkha battalion, assisted in the raising of the Chir.

The custom of raising the Chir is linked to a mythological story where Lord Krishna, during his time with the gopis (female devotees), is said to have mischievously hung their clothes on a tree while they bathed, symbolizing the playful nature of the festival.

This year’s main Holi celebrations will take place on March 13 in the hilly and Himalayan regions, while in the Terai and Madhesh regions, it will be observed on March 14.

Public holidays have been declared on these dates in the respective regions to mark the festival.

 Story behind the festival of holi

The celebration of Holi is filled with various ceremonies, with one of the most significant being the lighting of a grand bonfire a day before the festival.

Known as Holika Dahan or Chhoti Holi, it symbolizes the triumph of good over evil.

The story behind this tradition is rooted in Hindu mythology.

Holika Dahan Story:

According to Hindu beliefs, there was a wicked demon king named Hiranyakashyap who forbade his kingdom’s people from worshipping Lord Vishnu.

In his quest for immortality, Hiranyakashyap performed intense penance and was granted a boon by Lord Brahma.

The boon stated that no weapon could kill him, and he could not be harmed in certain circumstances: neither inside nor outside, neither during the day nor night, neither on land nor in water or air.

With this power, Hiranyakashyap became even more cruel and tyrannical. However, his son, Prahlad, was a devoted follower of Lord Vishnu.

Despite his father’s attempts to stop him, Prahlad remained unwavering in his faith. In a final attempt to kill Prahlad, Hiranyakashyap enlisted the help of his sister, Holika, who had a boon making her immune to fire.

Holika tried to kill Prahlad by taking him into a blazing fire, but it was she who perished, while Prahlad emerged unscathed.

To end his reign of terror, Lord Vishnu took the form of Narsimha, a half-man, half-lion, and killed Hiranyakashyap.

He did so by tearing the demon king apart with his sharp claws while Hiranyakashyap sat on his doorstep, thus nullifying the effect of the boon and saving his righteous devotee.

To celebrate the victory of good over evil, people light a fire on Holi, symbolizing the destruction of evil. Often, new grain seeds are placed under the fire, representing prosperity.

The flames are also believed to predict the future harvest, and the remains of the fire are considered auspicious.

Many people take home the ashes or glowing embers, believing they will protect them from illness and bring good fortune.