Winters have passed and can spring be far behind? Flowers are in full bloom and trees are clothed with bright, fresh leaves. Dol, the festival of colour is here. In March, the festival of Dol Purnima, or Holi, as it is called by Northern Hindus, heralds the short spring season. People from all walks of life celebrate the coming of spring by drinking bhang, a mild milk beverage laced with marijuana, by smearing each other with powdered colours, red especially, and spraying coloured water at passers-by.

It is also a celebration of the triumph of the good, over the evil. According to the legend, ambitious king, Hiranyakashyap wanted to be the most powerful king and wanted to be worshipped as the god. But his own son Prahlad, who was an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu, refused to obey his father. Hiranyakashyap decided to punish his son and asked for help from Holika, his sister. As Holika was immune to fire, the king asked Holika to sit at the center of a flaming pyre with Prahlad on her lap. The intention was to kill Prahlad. Yet Prahlad emerged unscathed by the fire while Holika was burnt to ashes. The good over the evil, prevailed. From Holika to Holi, the celebration marks the triumph of the good over the evil.

In Bengal it is known as “Dol Purnima”. Usually people burn Holika (dry sticks and figs are collected in huge scale and is set up like a mound) on the eve of Dol Purnima. This is done to commemorate the legend. Folklore and dances are performed around the fire to welcome the new season. In the morning people have fun with coloured water, with both wet and dry colours. Men, women and children all participate in this merry making. In the evening, people play with dry colours - ‘aabir’ (coloured powder), and greet each other. Special dishes for the occasion are prepared. People visit each others houses and savor the delicious dishes, be it the famous Rossogolla or the preparation of ‘Malpoa’ (a dessert made of flour, milk, sugar and dry fruits). The colour, noise and entertainment that accompanies the celebration of Dol Purnima bears witness to the feelings of oneness and a sense of brotherhood and goodwill. No other festival brings home the lesson of spiritual and social harmony as well as the festival of Dolothsava.

Santiniketan the abode of Tagore celebrates Dol in a unique way. Dol in Santiniketan welcomes the season ‘Basanta’ with music and dances and early morning ‘Path’ (reading of scriptures). Young girls are seen in yellow saris and garlands of bright orange ‘Palash’ flowers whereas boys are seen in white with yellow turbans. They perform dances all around the ‘ashram’ to the songs of Tagore’s ‘Khol Dar Khol’. It is a spectacular spectacle to see the combination of blue firmament, golden sunshine with ‘Palash’ trees full of bright orange flowers and young students dressed in yellow and orange and bright colours of ‘aabir’ being flung in the air mingled with its smell. Truly, Gurudev had a wonderful way of welcoming Spring.