HOLI, Indian Valentine's Day

Feb 14th, another Valentine's Day is approaching.  Our youngsters are planning ways to express and celebrate their love!  While this western culture has come to dominate, it is time to think about Indian ways of celebrating love.

Rathi and Manmatha (also called Kamadeva) were legendary lovers among Gods.  Their acts of love used to instill the emotions of love and lust among suras, asuras and manavs (Gods, demons and human beings).

Once all Gods were scared by the growing prowess of Tarakasura, who could be killed only by the yet-to-be-born son of Lord Shiva and Devi Parvathi.  But Lord Shiva was in deep tapas (prolonged meditation) and somebody had to wake him up to enable his union with Devi Parvati.  Gods assigned this delicate task to Rathi-Manmatha.

Rathi-Manmatha began to dance enacting different acts of love in front of Lord Shiva.  Disturbed Shiva was furious and opened his 'third eye' and instantly Manmatha was burnt to death. Rathi cried and begged Lord Shiva to give back life to her lover. Her legendary act of love soothened Lord Shiva who brought back Manmatha to life, but to be made visible only to Rathi. Lord Shiva also blessed that both Rathi and Manmatha (Kamadeva) shall become immortal to spread the message of love among all living beings forever.  This day of Rathi-Manmatha's legendary love is celebrated as Holi in northern India and Kamana Hunnime in the South.

Holi/Kamana Hunnime falls on Hunnime (Full-moon-day) of Phalguna.  In English calendar it falls towards end of Feb or early March.  The day also marks the advent of vasantha ritu or spring season.

I remember that I used to actively participate in Kamana Hunnime festival at my native place almost half-a-century ago! Children of the locality used to group together about a week in advance going round the streets collecting fire-wood, berani (cow-dung cakes) and even old wooden furniture.  We used to go from house to house singing a song.......

Kamana Makkalu, 

Kalla Sule Makkalu

Enen Kaddaru 

Soude berani kaddaru 

Yatakke Kaddaru? 

Kaman Sudok kaddaru   

A rough translation would be 

What Bastard sons of Kamanna steal?

They stole firewood. 

Why did they steal? 

To burn the effigy of Kamanna!

Some mothers used to give some fire wood whereas some others used to shy us away.  Some of us even used to jump in to compound-walls of houses to steal fire-wood, often to be caught, fired and left! Gathered fire-wood used to be put in a lot in a nearby open field.

Kamana Hunnimme of one particular year is vividly etched in my memory lane. On the day of Kamana Hunnime, by evening all town elders, ladies and children had gathered around the firewood.

I remember a pair of new weds were dressed up as modern Rati-Manmatha. Thrill of the crowd peaked when the pair landed near the site, riding on their motor-cycle!  Ladies had marked the boundary of the fire-wood lot with rangoli art. They performed pooja and aarti for the Kamadeva who was symbolized inside the gathering of fire-wood.  Then the children set fire for the fire-wood.

Soon fire had engulfed all around exciting all, especially the children who went round singing the same song 'Kamana makkalu......'. Last agenda was distribution of Charpu, the prasadam, which was puliyogare (tamarind rice) and mosaranna (curd rice).

The very next day ladies brought buckets of water around the Kamadeva-fire.  Various colours prepared out of arishina and kumkum (haldi) were mixed to water.  With the gathering of youth and children around, it was okuli (holi) time! With the mood of holi gathering peak, colored waters and colors were thrown on each other.  It was even time for plenty of dances, pranks and mischief! By around 12 noon, people disbursed towards the nearby river for taking a bath.

Now all these Kamana Hunnime celebrations have become a memory of the good old days.  No doubt with lot of north Indians too migrating towards South, Holi celebrations are still live, although may not be like the old type.

Holi/Kammana Habba is time to celebrate our culture and  remember that our elders were no less in glorifying the spirit of love. As sung by our poet D.V.Gundappa, 'hosa chiguru, hale beru koodiralu mara sobagu.......' (meaning 'let the old ways mix with the new), let us not forget to celebrate our own 'festival of love' along with the modern Valentine's Day.

Long live the spirit of love!

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Also please read my last year's blog on 'Valentine's day' using the link https://blogbuster-lakshminarayana-k.blogspot.com/2018/02/valentines-day-2018.html

(please cut and paste the link given above)

Thanks for reading, your comments are most welcome.