Gifts idea for Holi festival

Have you ever heard about the Holi festival or the festival of love and colors that will be on the 8th of March this year? Get to know more about this Hindu festival and find out what gemstones gift ideas you should be giving to celebrate this vibrant festival!

           

Background history of the festival

Holi festival marks the beginning of spring after a long winter and is a symbol of the triumph of good over evil and there are many stories about the origin of this festival, however the most popular version says that ...

Long ago there was, an evil king who became so powerful that he forced his subjects to worship him as their god. But his son Prahlada continued to be an ardent devotee of the Hindu deity Lord Vishnu. So, the angry king asked his sister, Holika (the name in which Holi derives), to help kill Prahlad.

Owner of a fire-resistant cloak, Holika attempted to trick Prahlad by taking him into a fire, but since she sought to use her cloak for evil, it flew off of her and onto Prahlad instead. So, she was burnt to death.

On the other hand, Prahlad was saved, and Vishnu defeated Hiranyakashipu, the evil king and bonfires are lit on Holi in celebration of this victorious feat.

How is Holi celebrated?

On the first night of Holi, people light bonfires and throw roasting grains, popcorn, coconut and chickpeas onto them. 

The next day, people of all ages go into the streets for fun and paint-throwing. Everyone gets involved! Hindus have fun by smearing each other with paint and throwing colored water.

Gift ideas for Holi festivals

Although the Hindu festival of colors finds its origins in South Asia, it has now gained popularity across the world. So, if you are looking for a gift to give to anyone who’s celebrating this festival, we recommend giving them these colorful gemstones as a present to bless them with colorful spirit!

Topaz is closely associated with Holi background story because when looking into the meaning behind its name which derived from the Greek word topazion. It may originate from the Sanskrit tapas, meaning, "fire” as well! 

It is also believed to bestow the wisdom, courage and success in all endeavors just like how Prahlad won over his tyrant father.

Topaz has exceptionally wide color range that, besides brown, includes various tones and saturations of blue, green, yellow, orange, red, pink, and purple. According to GIA, Topaz is also pleochroic, meaning that the gem can show different colors in different crystal directions. 

Isn’t the gemstone reflecting how we throw paint at each other? 

Aquamarine, possessing greenish to light blue color, it is said to bring the wearer protection against foes in battle. So, if someone is going up against something this would be a great gift to bring up their morale and wish them the victory Prahlad had!

It is also the birthstone of March and one of the easiest gems to polish according to the IGS, so it could be used to create beautiful jewelry like rings and necklaces.  

Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire are also colorful precious gemstones you should consider using if you’d like to create a Holi collection jewelry or give them as a gift because emerald is said to be a life affirming gemstone that promotes friendship, peace, harmony and domestic bliss. While Ruby is associated to happiness and passion, it is used as a talisman by the solider for protection for ages. 

Last but as important as all the gems we’ve mentioned, Sapphire reflects Prahlad integrity to goodness and his height of celestial hope and faith. It is also said to have a great power of protection against black magic and ill-wishing.

All in all, any colored gemstone would be a perfect gift to give on this festival to rejuvenate the colorfulness of life and love to everyone around you, Happy Holi!

Paula

Blog writer at GemTrust.io

Sources

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