Fuldol

Hori ai re ai re Hori ai re!!

Holi is the festival to celebrate the arrival of Spring season
on Fagun sud Purnima. Also known as Falgunika, people
celebrate the changing season and the beauty associated
with spring blossoms by spraying color.
In the Gita (10/35), Shri Krishna proclaims “Spring as the
foremost season and one of his Vibhutis –forms”
 History
The Bhavisyotra Puran says, a rakshasi (demoness) named Dhundhaa, who harassed
children and teenagers. To keep her away, people kindled fires at various spots. Then
the young and later everyone else chanted God's name and circumambulated the fires.
Thus the Lord's name and fire kept the demoness away. In this manner, Satya Yuga's
king Raghu propagated the festival of Holi.
Furthermore it is believed that Dhundhaa manifests as disease in children, during this
period of seasonal change. Fire is the shakti which protects one from disease.
 Therefore wood of the Shami tree (Acacia suma) - symbolizing Agni deity - is burnt
in the fire to circumvent disease.
Hiranyakashipu, a demon king and father of Prahlad, was a
dissenter of Bhagwan Vishnu, whom Prahlad worshipped.
Infuriated by his son's devotion, Hiranyakashipu attempted to kill
him. In one attempt, he instructed his sister Holika, to wear her
miraculous sari, which could not burn, and then sit in a fire with
Prahlad in her lap.
By the Lord's wish, she happened to wear the wrong garment
and was immolated. Symbolically, maya, in the form of Holika,
was destroyed by Prahlad's staunch devotion.
Therefore to eradicate our maya, we should offer unalloyed
bhakti.
This day also marks Lord
Manu's birthday anniversary.
Mankind is Lord Manu's
offspring. He composed the
Manu Smruti, a scripture
regarded as a manual for
man's life on earth.
Nar-Narayan Deva's birthday
anniversary too, is celebrated
on this day. As the fourth
incarnation of Bhagwan
Vishnu, he is considered as
the embodiment and
incarnation of brahmacharya
(celibacy).
Immersed in maya, pained and tainted by Maya, man is exhorted to
vanquish his base instincts. The true Holi is in eradicating these
instincts and simultaneously being 'colored' by the Lord's 'color.’

Pujya Aksharjivandas Swami has rightly said,

Swami Amare Ang Tam Rang Dholi Do, Sansaari Utaro Rang,
Antar Roli Do!
 Pushpadolotsav
Once Arjun accompanied Shri Krishna to
Raivatachal - Mt.Girnar. Here the Lord
pleased the Yadavas with divine sports. In
turn, to please him, the joyous Yadavas
made a swing of flowers.
They then seated Shri Krishna and Arjun
on the hindolo (swing), performed pujan
and swung the hindolo. Henceforth the
two became renowned as Nar-Narayan
and the Pushpadolotsav came into being.
 Mahabalvant Maya
Tamari…
On Fuldol, people traditionally offer
fagwaa roasted chick peas (chana), dates
and popcorn to God and partake of the
prasad.
In the Swaminarayan Sampraday, the
women devotees of north Gujarat
requested Bhagwan Swaminarayan for
unique fagwaa in the Fuldol of Samvat
1868 (1812 CE), in Sarangpur. It comprised
lofty sentiments in the form of a prayer to
be delivered from maya:
Maha balvant maya tamaari, jene
aawariya narnaari...
The prayer, versified by Nishkulanand
Swami in the Bhaktachintamani (ch.64).
Bhagwan Swaminarayan
celebrated Fuldol in many
different places during His
period. Of these, the two most
prominent were in Samvat 1872
(1816 CE), in Vartal and in
Samvat 1868 (1812 CE), in
Sarangpur. Pramukh Swami
Maharaj and Mahant Swami
Maharaj celebrate this festival on
a huge scale in Sarangpur.
 Bhagatji Maharaj

Bhagatji Maharaj's
Birthday - The
Swaminarayan
Sampradaya also
celebrates the birth of
Bhagwan Swaminarayan's
second spiritual successor
on this day.
Jai Swaminarayan