Beyond Colors: The Deep Spiritual Meaning of Masan Holi

Mar 12, 2025 Khushi Kumari

Masan Holi, a rare ritual, is being celebrated in Varanasi with ashes of pyres rather than colors to worship Lord Shiva in a highly spiritual manner

[{"selector":"#anim-2800162b-2f1c-46ec-9e9e-7853bc50b5e3 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-26.093749854937805%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c145f6dd-4f19-4d88-a00f-1dee1dae46a0","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] [{"selector":"#anim-26297d2c-8554-415b-ab97-9434ee6d1c98","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a455d77a-a059-412a-807a-8e431add5952","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -385.36735%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Masan Holi was celebrated on March 11, the second day of Rangbhari Ekadashi, in 2025, and this marked the onset of Holi celebrations in Varanasi

[{"selector":"#anim-8c047508-a346-489a-b391-66b6405c2d79 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-24.14648426113684%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a2b89561-accc-4f46-a417-1814899c0e1f","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] [{"selector":"#anim-f812d31c-7b7a-4377-9c8f-723ca3be1b8d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-be871d93-8c0b-4095-8872-ed7e7e6f3d64","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -385.36735%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

The celebration is held at Manikarnika and Harishchandra Ghats, the city's most sacred cremation grounds

[{"selector":"#anim-9f0b542b-033c-46ce-87be-63efb5712eda [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-31.235351448636845%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b757fd78-9e89-4023-81e2-1f83873f2e54","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] [{"selector":"#anim-aadc3167-85b5-4df6-9a76-f66425941c1c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ff283ce8-9992-4532-8945-1bca4e4e211b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -441.32174%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

The celebration starts with a unique aarti at Harishchandra Ghat, offered to Mahashmashan Nath

[{"selector":"#anim-b4e84165-0dcc-42dd-9ab1-0e6a84976d06 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-31.235351448636845%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b81b3671-91a3-482b-862a-cfb5e874b7cb","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] [{"selector":"#anim-c76ca619-19b1-4bd9-b204-64456e84639f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e3f3d2ce-e500-49e2-890c-0774afe98d8b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -403.61753%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Devotees and saints of Lord Shiva apply pyre ashes in place of gulal, adopting the religious aspect of life and death

[{"selector":"#anim-c54068a7-2419-4fcc-829f-49b642279182 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-31.235351448636845%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5e7f9301-0865-43a0-9779-e435b25cac0f","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] [{"selector":"#anim-bdaca385-552a-42cc-9038-3cad46d32dd8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d1f38d6e-ae7e-46a7-9eee-f83e188176a3","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -403.61753%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

The ghats reverberate with 'Har-Har Mahadev' as the devotees surrender themselves to devotion, praying for Lord Shiva's blessings

[{"selector":"#anim-bf4bc073-7793-4c92-8930-132fef139cc7 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-34.36279285488684%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6efe10ff-a681-4fec-bedd-cc5e876619b6","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] [{"selector":"#anim-1b7a7ed5-0aa7-4e44-b644-05e14ecadf1f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7e9c952a-7fbc-4657-8ada-5fb618273103","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -385.36735%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Aghori sadhus, who live a reclusive life, also actively participate, lending the festival an even more spiritual flavor

[{"selector":"#anim-8177e2a1-8053-496c-89aa-6ee22b7818a2 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-31.235351448636845%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a8748e7f-f2d3-4996-956e-9d77ff526eb1","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] [{"selector":"#anim-308f5a57-874d-4f09-8f12-fcb5338a0b8d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-466c1802-ce9c-4484-8ea4-c9491f9b9576","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -403.61753%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

In addition to locals, the festival also attracts inquisitive tourists and spiritual travelers interested in seeing this unique celebration

[{"selector":"#anim-cad195a0-9b84-48b0-8e59-786a7a128e85 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-31.235351448636845%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f903c52a-55db-4e6f-ba41-4bdd1d5ceadd","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] [{"selector":"#anim-1a659fbf-15f2-4310-9c32-682add031f81","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-56a40ec1-0574-4b72-b260-f61b5f3751c0","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -374.85378%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Read More Lights, Camera, Controversy: 29 Celebs Under ED Scanner UNESCO Removes 3 African Sites from “In Danger” List Earth Spins Faster: July 9, 2025 Sets Record for Shortest Day McDonald’s Revamps U.S. Menu with Global Favorites