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Masaan Holi 2024: Bhasma Holi or Masan Holi, also known as “Cheeta Rakh Holi”. This unique and spiritual festival is celebrated in the ancient city of Varanasi or Banaras. This festival falls on the second day of “Rangbhari Ekadashi” or “Phalgun Krishna Ekadashi”.
Holi is a festival that reminds of the love between Radha and Krishna. However, in Banaras, Uttar Pradesh, the roots of this festival are deeply linked to the city's presiding deity, Lord Shiva.
Bhasma Holi has a different identity in Varanasi. Here devotees and priests gather to play Holi using sacred ash (bhasma) instead of colors or gulal. Let us know the time, date, history and importance of Bhasma Holi celebrated in Varanasi.
Masan Holi 2024 Date: Masan Holi or Bhasma Holi 2024 Date
This year, Masaan Holi will be held in Varanasi on Thursday, March 21, 2024.
History and Significance of Masan Holi: History and Significance of Masan Holi or Bhasma Holi 2024
Banaras is synonymous with spiritual liberation, it witnesses three different versions of Holi which include the traditional Holi, Rangbhari Ekadashi and the special Masaan Holi. Holi festival is celebrated all over the country. But colorful Ekadashi and Masan Holi are the specialty of Banaras only. This festival holds great importance for the people of Varanasi as it is believed that it purifies the soul and provides spiritual enlightenment. Playing Holi with Bhasma or sacred ashes is considered a form of worship and devotion to Lord Shiva.
Masan Holi Story: Myth of Masan Holi
It is believed that on the day of Rangbhari Ekadashi, Lord Shiva took Goddess Parvati in his lap. A festival was organized to mark this happiness. In Kashi, Bholenath played Holi with colors and gulal with his friends. But on this day one cannot play Holi with ghosts, ghosts, eunuchs, ghosts etc. This is the reason that a day after Rangbhari Ekadashi, Lord Shiva plays Holi with ghosts and from then onwards Bhasma Holi is played.
How to celebrate Masan Holi? How do Masaans celebrate Holi?
On the day of Bhasma Holi, devotees and priests gather at various temples and ashrams in Varanasi to participate in the festivities. The festival begins with a grand aarti at the Masan temple near Manikarnika Ghat, creating a magical atmosphere as devotees anoint the Shivalinga with ashes. Bhasma The ashes used during Holi are usually collected from cremation grounds, symbolizing the cycle of life, death and rebirth.
The festival of Rangbhari Ekadashi is celebrated five days before Holi, which marks the union of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. It is a time when the divine and mortal realms merge in celebration. On this day, Naga Sadhus and Aghori along with the local people gather to participate in this extraordinary celebration which reflects devotion and happiness.
Unlike the colorful and vibrant celebrations of Holi in other parts of India, Bhasma Holi is a more serene and spiritual event. While chanting hymns and mantras dedicated to Lord Shiva, devotees and priests slowly apply bhasma on each other's face, hands and body. Bhasma is believed to be used to purify the body and soul and is considered a form of blessing from the deity.
By playing Holi with ashes, devotees express their devotion towards Lord Shiva and seek his blessings of health, prosperity and happiness. Bhasma Holi is not just a festival, it is a mystical tradition reflecting the spiritual and cultural heritage of Varanasi, making it a truly unforgettable experience for all who participate.