As we celebrate the sacred fire of Holika Dahan, I am reminded of all the pain and conflict, our land has witnessed in the recent past.
Rituals offer deeper meaning. Mythology is collective psychology. A sacred fire is more than the annihilation of evil King Hiranyakashyapu or celebration of faith of a divine child Prahlad.
The sacred fire is the flame of truth within each of us that longs to burn all that hold us from our true nature. Beyond our armours of race, religion, gender, or region. To rebirth us into the field “out beyond our wrongdoings and rightdoings” that great poet Rumi spoke about many years back.
As I stand in reverence to the sacred fire of Holi, my heart opens up…
At the threshold of our knowing
Between day and night
Right and wrong
Wild and civilized
Swells a Sacred Fire
Little flame of inner truth
Transformed into a blast furnace
Burning all that holds us
From our authentic core
Fierce and intense
Kali’s tongue or Rudra’s breath
Rising within each soul
Destroying all facade
Restoring humanity
Healing old wounds
Tonight let’s surrender
To the sacred fire within
~ Manish Srivastava @poetmanish
(On sacred occasion of Holika Dahan)
the sacred well 