Skip to main content

Holika dahan: Looking for caste interpretation amidst celebrating burning of the woman?

By Rajiv Shah
Today is Holi -- the day to "celebrate" the burning alive of a woman, Holika, who on being told by her brother Hiranyakashipu, an Asura king, to sit on pyre with his son Prahlad, a Lord Vishnu devotee. According to the legend, Hiranyakashipu plotted murder of his son Prahlad by  asking his sister Holika, draped in fire-resistant boon, to sit in bonfire with nephew Prahlad in her lap. 
Hiranyakashipu did this to avenge his younger brother Hiranyaksha's death at the hands of Varaha, the avatar of Lord Vishnu. He didn't like Prahlad to be the devotee of Lord Vishnu, hence decided to kill the latter.
However, Prahlad’s prayers to Lord Vishnu ensured that he was safe from the deadly flames, while Holika caught fire. 
Whatever the legend, the very idea of celebrating the burning of a woman appears despicable. While there have been several interpretations of the legend -- with some stating that being an Asura was equivalent to Dalit, while others claiming Holika was a Brahmin -- the celebration of the event as victory of good over evil seems terrible. 
Somewhere it smacks of the now abolished Sati tradition (though still being celebrated as pious!), which forced women to sit on pyre on the death of her husband.
I am left wondering: Why look for caste interpretation when the issue at stake is celebration of violence against a woman?

Comments

Post a Comment

NOTE: Hateful, abusive comments won't be published. -- Editor

TRENDING

Neville Cardus: The man who turned cricket writing into poetry

By Harsh Thakor*  Neville Cardus was one of the most remarkable literary figures of the twentieth century. A prolific English writer and critic, he achieved distinction in two vastly different fields: cricket and classical music. Entirely self-taught, Cardus rose from humble beginnings to become both the cricket correspondent and chief music critic of The Manchester Guardian . His achievements in these contrasting disciplines earned him widespread acclaim and established him as one of the foremost critics of his generation. In February 2025, the cricketing and literary world marked the fiftieth anniversary of his death, which occurred in February 1975.
Post a Comment
»

​Ideological shifts and structural realities within India's left-wing insurgency

​By Harsh Thakor*  The Maoist insurgency in India is arguably at its weakest point since the formation of the Communist Party of India (Maoist) in 2004. Years of sustained counterinsurgency operations, leadership losses, shrinking territorial influence, declining recruitment, and growing technological advantages enjoyed by the state have significantly eroded the movement's operational capabilities. 
Post a Comment
»

The Dalit body on screen: Stereotypes, sacrifice, and subjugation in Hindi films

By Dr. Prem Singh*  Despite centuries of reformist efforts, from Gandhi and Ambedkar to contemporary activists, the caste system remains deeply embedded in the Indian psyche. One of the primary reasons for this persistence is the religious sanction provided by Brahminical scriptures, which have shaped not only social structures but also cultural and artistic expressions.
1 comment
»