4. The Govardhan mountain had two sisters named Holi and Divāli. Holi was a woman of bad conduct while Divāli’s character was good. Although unchaste, Holi boasted that she was chaste, and once, to prove her chastity, she threw herself on to a big fire. She could not bear the pain caused by the flames, and began to scream aloud, when people beat drums, abused her, and raised such a din that her screams became inaudible. Hence the custom of using abusive language and reciting abusive verses during the Holi holidays. Govardhan could not bear the disgrace attached to his sister’s reputation. So he threw himself into the fire and met his death without uttering a word of pain. This has given rise to the custom of throwing into the Holi fire the cow-dung image of Govardhan, which is installed during the Divāli holidays.[41]
On the Holi day sweet dishes are prepared and taken with the morning meal. Some women observe a vow on this day, and dine once only in the evening, after worshipping the Holi fire with an offering of a cocoanut and walking seven times round it.[42]
In some places, on the day preceding the Holi, which is known as Kamala Holi, sweet stuffed cakes are prepared, and on the Holi Punema day vermicelli is eaten.[43]
The fuel for the Holi fire is generally collected by boys. At about two in the afternoon on the Holi day a party of boys goes from house to house and receive five to fifteen cow-dung cakes from each household. These cow-dung cakes are bored, and strung on strings.[44]
The fuel thus collected is heaped at the village boundary or the end of the street. All the male residents of the village or street meet at the spot, a pit is dug, and earthen pots filled with wheat, gram and water mixed together are placed in the pit and covered with cow-dung cakes. Next, the headman of the village or the leading resident of the street worships the pile with the assistance of a Brāhman priest. After worship, the pile is lighted, at the time fixed by an astrologer,[45] by a low caste Hindu, generally a Bhangi or Kotwāl, as Hindus of good caste consider it a sin to kindle the Holi fuel. The Bhangi or Kotwāl receives a few dates and cocoanut kernel for this service.[46]
The offerings thrown into the Holi fire generally consist of fried juvāri grain, fried gram and cocoanuts. Flowers of mango trees and tender mango fruits are also thrown into the Holi fire. It is believed that newly married pairs, by worshipping the Holi fire, are blessed with long life, prosperity, and the birth of children. After the principal ceremony is over, they worship it one by one with the ends of their upper garments tied in a knot, and walk seven times round the fire with their hands folded, the husband leading the wife.[47]
Infants dressed in gay clothes and decked with garlands of dry dates and bits of cocoanut kernel are also taken to the Holi fire by their parents. The latter worship the Holi Mātā and walk four times round the fire, taking the children in their arms. Next they offer cocoanuts to the goddess, which are either thrown into the fire or distributed among those present.[48]
Women whose children die in infancy observe a vow of remaining standing on the Holi day. When the Holi is lighted they worship the fire, after which they may sit down and take their meal. It is believed that the observance of this vow ensures long life to children.[49]
Although the Holi itself falls on the full-moon day of Fālgun the rejoicings connected with it commence from the first day of that month. The principal feature of the rejoicings consists in indulging in indecent and vulgar songs and language. Vulgar songs or fāgs in honour of the goddess Holi are also sung. Songs are composed abusing each caste, and sung addressing passers by, by groups of boys who have full license during the Holi holidays to indulge in all sorts of pranks and abuses.
Some make wooden blocks with engravings of vulgar and indecent words, dip them in coloured water, and press them on the clothes of passers by.