Holi 2019: Google celebrates festival of colours - who created the doodle?

Guest artist Q&A with Chaaya Prabhat 

Q: Why was this topic meaningful to you personally?

A: Holi is one of the biggest festivals in India, and it means a lot to me to be able to use my illustration style to represent the spirit of it.

Q: What were your first thoughts when you were approached about the project?

A: While doing my research for this project, I was wondering how to represent a festival that's celebrated in so many different ways all over the country - in the form of dance, music and other rituals. The common thread I found for all the various ways in which Holi is celebrated is the festivity of bright and beautiful colours and people taking to the streets to celebrate, so I decided to approach the project in that direction.

Q: Did you draw inspiration from anything in particular for this Doodle?

A: I drew inspiration from the vivid colours of the Holi powders, and textures and patterns of the buildings and clothes of people in India.

Q: What message do you hope people take away from your Doodle?

A: I hope that everyone enjoys the colours, since that's what Holi represents.

The word Holi derives its name from Holika who is the sister of Hiranyakashipu. This is how the Hindu mythology story goes: King Hiranyakashipu, the great demons ruler was granted a boon by Brahma, the god of wisdom and this made it almost impossible for him to be killed. The boon was a gift due to his long penance. Consequently, he grew arrogant and attacked the Heavens and the Earth. He demanded that people stop worshipping gods and start praising him.

Hiranyakashipu's own son, Prahlada, was a devotee of Vishnu. Hiranyakashipu threatened him to stop but Prahlada continued offering prayers to Vishnu. Hiranyakashipu poisoned him, but the poison turned to nectar in his mouth. He was ordered to be trampled by elephants yet remained unharmed. He was put in a room with hungry, poisonous snakes and survived.

All of Hiranyakashipu's attempts to kill his son failed. Finally, he ordered Prahlada to sit on a pyre in the lap of Holika, Hiranyakashipu's demoness sister, who also could not die because she had a boon preventing her from being burned by fire. Prahlada readily accepted his father's orders, and prayed to Lord Vishnu to keep him safe. When the fire started, everyone watched in amazement as Holika burnt to death, while Prahlada survived unharmed.

The salvation of Prahlada and burning of Holika is celebrated as Holi. People burn bonfires on the eve of Holi to commemorate this event in mythology. This event is known as Holika Dahan or the burning of Holika also called Chhoti Holi or small Holi, after the fire Holika Dahan prayers are said and god is praised. In the South of India, Holika Dahan is referred to as Kama Dahanam.

In Mathura, where Krishna grew up, the festival is celebrated for 16 days till Rangpanchmi and celebrates Radha's divine love for Krishna. The festival officially ushers in spring, the season of love.