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The night of the demoness
March 2, 2007
Holi celebrates the demise of demoness Holika.
Holika is probably the most well-known legend involving demonesses. How well do you know the legends behind Holi and about other Indian demonesses?
Holika
Blessed with a boon of invincibility at the hands of god as well as mortal, King Hiranyakashyap thought he was mightier than god and ordered his people to worship him. All his subjects obeyed except his son Prahlad, who was an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu.
Unable to persuade his son otherwise, Hiranyakashyap then tried to have Prahlad killed. All his attempts failed, so he turned to his sister Holika who had a special gift: fire could not harm her.
Holika sat on a bonfire with Prahlad in her lap, hoping to burn him to death. But Prahlad chanted Vishnu's name and the fire didn't harm him, although Holika perished in it.
To this day, Holi commemorates Holika's death in the fire, which symbolises the triumph of good over evil.
Illustrations: Uttam Ghosh
Text: Ganesh Nadar
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