PHAGWA
STRENGTH IN THE
FAITH
By Marc Muneal
Features Desk
Express
March 23, 2000
Page 23
Venai Singh has the religious grounding of a pundit. Yet, he's only six years old.
The
tyke, whose father is a co-ordinator of worship at the Enterprise Hindu Mandir,
never misses a Sunday at the temple and can recite bhajans and mantras at the
drop of a hat. He's been a vegetarian
for all six years of his life, and follows a strict diet based on the
principles of his religion.
Singh
is looking forward to Phagwa for the fun and games, but also because he'll
learn about one of Hinduism's most important festivals.
"I
like Phagwa, the powder and thing," said the youngster, as he shyly
covered his mouth, then burst into a fit of laughter.
Venai's
father, Dave, says Phagwa is a significant time for his young son and other
Hindu children.
"They
can identify Prahalad with themselves, relate to him. They actually play Prahalad and learn about him."
The
legend of Prahalad is the basis of Phagwa and the related festival of Holi.
Pundit
Bramanand Rambachan explained that while Holi, the festival of the harvest, and
Phagwa are intricately related, they are not the same.
Holi
heralds the beginning of spring and is also known as the festival of
color. Phagwa is that aspect of Holi
that incorporates singing, dancing and the use of the abeer and powder.
The
Phagwa story reads: Long ago there was a king called Hiranyakashipu, who thought
himself to be an omnipotent and supreme being; he was the recipient of a divine
gift of immortality and believed that he alone was to be worshipped.
The
king had a nine-year-old son named Prahalad, who one day witnessed a
miracle. A potter woman had prayed,
"Ram, Ram, Ram" to save three kittens that had mistakenly been
forgotten in a clay pot put to bake.
The woman's prayers were answered and God spared the kittens. From that moment, Prahalad started chanting
the name of Lord Rama.
This
outraged the king, who ordered that his son be killed. The boy was put to death in various ways,
but each in vain; he walked away every time chanting, "Ram, Ram,
Ram."
The
king remembered his sister, who was called Holika. She owned a magic orhni (scarf / mantilla) that allowed the
wearer to step into a fire without getting burned. The king ordered Holika to wear the orhni and carry Prahalad into
a fiery pit, where the boy would be burnt to ashes.
However,
God would again intervene.
A
strong breeze blew the orhni off Holika's head and she was the one who burned
to ashes while Prahalad was miraculously saved.
An
outraged King Hiranyakashipu then decided to kill Prahalad himself.
However,
the youngster's faith in God would again triumph. A beast with a man's body and a lion's head appeared and attacked
the king. His immortality disappeared
and the man-lion tore him limb from limb.
The
moral of the story; Prahalad's faith in God saved him; no man is bigger than
God.
Phagwa
begins with the burning of symbolic Holika, after which the festivities with
abeer and pichakaree (instruments used to squirt or "pitch" the
abeer) begin. The burning of Holika
represents the demise of Prahalad's aunt, while the abeer represents new energy
and rebirth, the strength of society.
Rambachan
added, "We must never allow our faith, belief and strength to be destroyed
by the evils of society. Man's life is
tested at various times under various circumstances." He said Phagwa is a time to remember the
legend of Prahalad and strengthen one's faith in God, regardless of religion.
As
for young Venai, he'll be taking part in all the various prayers and ceremonies
associated with the festival. He went
to the Holika burning on Sunday night, where his father was bombarded with a
number of questions concerning the meaning of it all.
Venai's
father said, "We're grooming him in his religious pathway, where he learns
religious and moral values so that someday, he may be a leader."
He's
already started on the path.
Venai
often sings bhajans to his one-year-old cousin Priya, and said he would teach
her as he learns more about the religion.
Venai
will take part in Phagwa celebrations at his school tomorrow.
Like
all Trinidadians, he knows "you cyar play mas and fraid powder". So for Phagwa, he intends to be prepared.
"I
going to tell my Daddy to buy a Super Soaker for me!"
Trinidad Guardian
Page 16
March 23, 2000
TIPS FOR PHAGWA
Hindus
across Trinidad will this weekend participate in annual Phagwa celebrations.
To
assist the public in understanding what Phagwa is all about, the Hindu Library
of Mercline Dreive, Enterprise, Chaguanas, has issued an information bulletin
about the festival.
Phagwa
is a festival of colourful abeer, pichakaaree, chowtal, dance and joy. Phagwa bands, in earlier years, would parade
the streets and visit homes. For the
past 25 years, it was restricted to specially designated places. The location is usually at a mandir or a
recreation ground and the celebration runs from early afternoon until late
evenings. The activities are usually
hosted by religious organisations and no alcoholic drinks are permitted.
Participants
take along containers of coloured water to throw on each other. Once one enters a compound designated for
Phagwa, one is liable to get soaked by abeer.
Abeer comes in an assortment of colours, but mainly in varying hues of
red. At the end of the day however,
purple is the predominant colour.
Here
are some helpful tips for attending Phagwa celebrations.
·
Attend
a venue that is alcohol free.
·
Take
along some of your own abeer and gulal, which is available at Indian shops.
·
Park
away from the immediate vicinity of Phagwa-play to protect one's vehicle.
·
Leave
a towel in your car for drying skin.
·
Place
a piece of plastic on your car seats.
·
Wear
soft shoes.
·
One
may wear a hat or head wrap.
·
Protect
ears with a piece of cotton wool.
A HOLI TIME
Trinidad Guardian
Section III
March 25 2000
Page 41
Phagwa
or Holi is a festival that usually marks the end of winter and the beginning of
spring. The all-day celebration, which begins
with prayers and culminates with wild spraying of abeer or coloured water, is
usually held in an open field attracting both the young and old.
The
religious significance of Phagwa lies in the legend of Prahlaad whose father, a
powerful king, decided he was more powerful than God and insisted that his son
worship him.
Prahlaad
refused to do what his father said and was threatened by his father to kill
him.
"But
he was saved by God. That's why the
theme of Phagwa is always 'good over evil,'" said Sat Maharaj, leader of
the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha at St Augustine, recently.
Phagwa
locally is celebrated much different to India's version of the festival.
"Here,
the festival is more organised. In India,
it is more spontaneous. They also don't
have children's Phagwa in India."
The
festival usually attracts people by the truckloads in celebration. And, as evening falls, men and women can be
seen mounting the stage to give their opinion on topical local issues in song.
The
spraying of the abeer or coloured water from a pichakaree - or type of syringe
- on unsuspecting patrons remains the most enjoyable part of the festival. The abeer represents the colours of spring,
Maharaj said, and is usually done one day after the burning of Holika or demon
lady.
"No
one escapes the spraying of the abeer," Maharaj said with a chuckle.
"Only
the police. But, we tell people to put
on something old and just come out."
Phagwa
will be celebrated tomorrow.