Holi which is just a few days away, is a festival that celebrates the triumph of good over evil and the colours that signify the joy of life. The festival is celebrated in India with utmost enthusiasm.
The period eight days before Holi, is considered inauspicious to indulge in auspicious work and is known as Holashtak. It falls on the Ashtami Tithi of the Phalguna month, Shukla Paksha, and continues till Purnima, which is Holika Dahan. The Holashtak period will begin on February 27 and will continue till March 7.
What you should not do?
You should not plan moving into a new house, marriage, engagement, mundan, bhoomi puja and other auspicious works during Holashtak. All the remaining cultural deeds should not be carried out during these days except funerals. You should also not hold baby shower or start a new business during these days.
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What you should do instead?
However, it is auspicious to worship, perform rituals and chant mantras. Therefore, it is considered beneficial to worship Lord Vishnu and chant Mahamrityunjaya Mantra during these days as it relieves them from all kinds of diseases and sufferings and provides them with good health. One should perform Bhagavad bhajans and vedic rituals, yajna so that they can get rid of all their sufferings. During these 8 days, Prahlada, a devotee of Vishnu, worshiped him which impressed God and Prahlad got help from the Lord in return.
Why 8 days before Holi are considered inauspicious?
King Hiranyakashipu had inflicted various tortures to prevent his son Prahlad from worshipping Lord Vishnu and showing his devotion to him. But by the grace of Vishnu, Prahlada suffered every difficulty with courage. This led Hiranyakashipu to turn to his sister Holika for help.
Holika had the boon of not getting burned by fire, due to which she sat in the fire along with Prahlad. But by the grace of Lord Vishnu, Prahlad survived the fire but Holika was consumed in the same fire. Therefore, these eight days were very difficult for Vishnu’s devotee Prahlad, which is why the time of Holashtak is considered inauspicious.
