The celebration of Holi, also known as the Festival of Color, began in India but is now observed worldwide. If the country of India wasn't already colourful enough, you won't find a more lively time than during the next Holi celebration to visit it. People congregate in the streets as Holi's morning breaks, dressing in old clothing as they begin to cover one another with coloured powder. Over time, the amount of jubilation and celebration has increased to include tossing fizzy colour mixtures that foam and bubble in water or simply coloured water balloon battles, as well as the more recent and more modern colour additions of black and silver that resist fading even after bathing.
Holi traditionally marks the arrival of spring, a time of abundant agricultural output on fertile ground. To welcome spring and say goodbye to the chilly winter, people splash colour- abeer or gulal, on one another. Every home prepares delicacies to share with visitors and neighbours, and bonfires are lit on street corners to fend off evil spirits and generate good energy. Prayer, Holika Dahan (bonfires), gulal (coloured powder) and throwing coloured water, as well as visiting others to share the season's special food and drink, are typical Holi celebration activities.
But can you guess an extremely common link between these activities? Let us give you a few hints. 1. It’s a flat surface, 2. It helps you to keep a lot of things in one place, 3. Mostly, it’s round shaped. Now, you know it? Still a no? Well, it’s a thali!
A puja thali is the plate or a platter in which all the products required to perform the worship or the puja of the God and Goddess are kept. Every puja-thali has a special significance for every festival in which the worship of Gods and Goddesses is the main theme. Agarbatti, camphor, coconut, betel, betel leaves, sandalwood paste, candles, flowers, seasonal fruits and sweets (as Prasad) are kept on the plate along with roli, a small ghanti, kalash.
Close your eyes and think about a puja thali that you might have come across while your mother is decorating it. Now, when you are recalling the memory, if you’re noticing that each thali is different from the others, you’re absolutely right! Each festival, each occasion calls for a different thali decoration consisting of different elements. But, at the same time, it's the union of 5 different elements blending seamlessly and creating a vibrant visual. And here, we have curated 5 ideas to decorate thali for Holi 2023; if kept together on a table, it might make your eyes gleam just like when you first saw your mother’s special thali.
1. Thali for Puja
Every ceremony places a great deal of importance on the puja thali. Be it a person's birthday, an inauguration, a marriage, a deity's puja, a festival, etc. Due to the fact that it gathers all the other crucial and necessary items, the puja thali is essential to practically every occasion. When held in the puja thali, all the objects, which are kept in the form of positive energies, collect at one point, magnify, spread across the location where the puja is performed, and fill the air with positive energies while warding off all the negativity. Every element of the surroundings transforms into a divine state, and tranquility fills the place.
2. Thali for Flowers and Colours
One thing which is common between beautiful, blooming flowers and the aromatic gulal is the vibrance brought by the colours. Holi is a festive occasion where people spray one another with coloured water after drenching coloured powder in it. The inclusion of four colors- yellow, red, green, and blue—as a significant addition to the holi powders implies the value of becoming bonded. People spray coloured water and powders on their friends and relatives as wooden drums are played as a sign of tradition. So, why not try to incorporate the same in a thali? But first, let’s check out what each colour means-
Blue signifies Lord Krishna. The sacred turmeric color is represented by yellow, considered a sign of luck, fertility and fortune. Green symbolizes a fresh start and the arrival of spring, when flowers start to bloom. Red is the colour of fertility and compassion.
The importance of Holi colors has a strong association with tradition and Indian culture. Blue color is always a representation of the god Krishna. It signifies the symbol of divinity. Yellow color is always pleasing and of course the most associated color in the Hindu religion.
It is believed that yellow can relax an individual's mind and help them remain free from anxiety. Moreover, the color yellow describes inner purity and protects from wickedness and evil. So, now you know which colours to mix and match! And it's not just gulal. Use flowers to decorate the thali as well.
In recent years, a wide variety of colours have been used during the Holi festival. But what never changes is the goal to have a fun day with friends and family while enjoying each other's company, creating memories and having a gala time while dancing on ‘Rang Barse’.
3. Thali for Mithai
In India, people celebrate every holiday with a lot of zest, enthusiasm and fervour. The assortment of meals here also contributes to the festive atmosphere. There is no doubt that delicious food and tasty treats make these parties exciting. All Indian celebrations, including Holi, include sweets. They are the charms of happiness and fortune, and they are crucial to the festival of colours. The traditional "muh meetha" ritual, which involves being showered with holi sweets, is a must before anybody will allow you to leave their home.
Holi events often take place in the hot humid afternoons, when people tend to burn a lot of energy. Sweets like chandrakala, laddoos, gujiya or malpua, provide quick energy, which re-energizes everyone preparing to play with colours or abeer.
4. Thali for Gifting
Giving gifts is a kind gesture that people admire and view as the best route to send greetings and messages on practically any occasion. Holi, which is a festival of colours and a recognition of the triumph of good over evil, is an opportune occasion to exchange presents and to celebrate with utter fervour. In India, every occasion is lavishly celebrated and frequently includes gift-giving to close family and friends. Giving gifts on special occasions has been practiced for centuries. All around the nation, celebrations of every festival are extravagant and of equal significance. It is during such moments when small acts of kindness ignite life's charm.
Even though Holi is a celebration of colour, giving a basket packed with packets of vibrant colours for Holi and handpicked gifts from our collections is the best gift idea for a partner, family member, or any dear one on the occasion of Holi. So, renew your connection with your special someone and team up to share the spirit of love by giving your partner a unique present.
5. Thali for Snacks
In India, especially, a celebration would not be complete without delicious food and drinks. People prepare a wide range of delicacies, including samosa, bhujia, bhakarwadi, mini kachori with chutney and many other meals, to spoil their loved ones on this joyful day.
There are a few food items that are known as quintessential "Holi food." While many of the families choose gujiya (a dumpling filled with sweet filling), others crave namkeen where kachori (fluffy mounds of dough cooked and loaded with spices) wins the race. So, on what team are you- the meetha or the namkeen?
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