Chapter 1: The Kingdom of Iron
Long, long ago, before there were cars or computers, there was a kingdom made of high stone walls and heavy iron gates. The King of this land was named Hiranyakashipu. He was a man who had forgotten how to laugh. He was so strong that he had defeated many enemies, but his strength had made his heart grow hard, like a loaf of bread left out in the sun for too long.
The King believed he was the master of the entire world. He commanded that every person in the land must chant his name and pray to him. "I am the sun! I am the moon! I am everything!" he would roar. And because the people were afraid, they bowed their heads.
But inside the palace, there was one person who wasn't afraid. This was the King's own son, a little boy named Prahlad.
Prahlad was a child of the sun and the stars. While his father sat on a cold throne, Prahlad sat in the gardens, talking to the butterflies and sharing his snacks with the squirrels. Prahlad knew a secret that his father had forgotten: there was a power much greater than any king. It was the power of Lord Vishnu, the protector of the universe, who kept the stars spinning and the rivers flowing.
Every morning, Prahlad would whisper, "Om Namo Narayana," which means "I bow to the goodness in all things."
Chapter 2: The King's Anger
One day, the King called Prahlad to his throne. "My son," the King said, his voice like grinding stones. "What is the best thing you have learned in your lessons?"
Prahlad smiled brightly. "Father, I have learned that we must love everyone. I have learned that Lord Vishnu lives in the heart of the lion, the petal of the flower, and even inside you and me."
The King's face turned purple with rage. "Silence!" he shouted. "I am the only power here! If you do not pray to me, you are no son of mine!"
The King tried everything to change Prahlad's mind. He gave him the hardest math problems, he took away his toys, and he even tried to scare him with loud noises. But Prahlad stayed as calm as a lake on a windless day. He knew that when you have love in your heart, fear has no room to sit down.
Chapter 3: Holika and the Secret Cloak
The King had a sister named Holika. Holika was a powerful woman who owned a very special treasure: a magical, shimmering shawl. This shawl was woven from threads of moonlight and ancient spells. If you wore it, fire could not touch you. You could walk through a bonfire and feel as cool as if you were eating an ice cream cone in the shade.
The King, in his darkness, came up with a terrible plan. He asked Holika to sit in a large bonfire with little Prahlad on her lap. He thought that the fire would take Prahlad away, but Holika would be safe under her magic shawl.
Holika agreed. On a night when the moon was hidden, a giant pile of wood was built in the center of the city. Prahlad was led to the fire. He didn't cry. He didn't scream. He simply closed his eyes and thought of the beauty of the world.
As the flames began to rise, something miraculous happened.
A great wind—the Rainbow Wind—began to howl through the kingdom. It wasn't a cold wind, but a swirling, dancing breeze that smelled of jasmine and honey. The wind rushed into the fire and caught the edges of Holika's magic shawl.
With a whoosh, the shawl flew off Holika's shoulders! It spun through the air like a golden bird and wrapped itself tightly around Prahlad. The fire roared, but Prahlad sat in the center of the flames, feeling nothing but a gentle warmth, as if he were being hugged by the sun.
When the fire finally burned down to glowing embers, Prahlad stepped out. He was safe. The "bad" thoughts of the King had been burned away by the fire, but the "goodness" of Prahlad had been protected.
Chapter 4: The Mischief of the Blue Boy
Many years passed, and the story of Prahlad's bravery spread across the lands. People began to light bonfires every year to remember that goodness always wins. But the festival wasn't "Holi" as we know it yet. It needed one more thing: Color.
In another part of India, in a village called Vrindavan, lived a boy named Krishna. Krishna was famous for three things: his beautiful flute music, his love for butter, and his blue skin.
Because Krishna's skin was the color of a summer sky, he sometimes felt a bit different from his friends. One day, he went to his mother, Yashoda, and pouted. "Mother, why am I blue like the deep ocean, while my friend Radha is as fair as a white lily? It isn't fair!"
His mother laughed and pinched his cheeks. "My darling Krishna, the color of your skin doesn't matter. But if it bothers you, why don't you go and change hers? Take some color and put it on her face. Then you will both be whatever color you choose!"
Krishna's eyes lit up. He loved a good prank!
Chapter 5: The First Rainbow Battle
Krishna gathered his friends. They went into the forest and found the brightest flowers they could see. They found red hibiscus, yellow marigolds, and purple orchids. They dried the petals and ground them into fine, soft powders.
Krishna snuck up behind Radha and—POOF!—he threw a handful of bright red powder on her. Radha gasped, then she laughed. She grabbed a handful of yellow powder and threw it back at Krishna.
Soon, the whole village was involved. The cows were covered in blue dust. The trees were dappled with pink. The old men, the young children, the rich merchants, and the poor farmers were all running through the streets with buckets of colored water.
In that moment, a wonderful thing happened. Because everyone was covered in red, blue, green, and yellow, you couldn't tell who was rich or who was poor. You couldn't tell who was a prince or who was a servant. Everyone looked like a beautiful, messy painting.
They were all just humans, celebrating life together.
Chapter 6: How We Play Today
And that is why, every year when the grey of winter begins to fade and the green of spring begins to peek through the soil, we celebrate Holi.
The Night Before (Holika Dahan): We build a bonfire. We take all our grumpy thoughts—the times we were mean to a friend, the times we didn't share our toys—and we imagine them burning up in the fire. We say, "Goodbye, bad feelings! We are starting fresh tomorrow!"
The Big Day (Dhulandi): We wake up and put on our oldest white clothes (because we know they won't stay white for long!). We fill our pichkaris (water guns) and grab our bags of gulal (color).
We run outside and shout, "Bura na mano, Holi hai!" which means, "Don't be offended, it's Holi!" We eat delicious sweets called Gujiya, which are filled with nuts and sugar. We dance to the beat of the Dhol drum. And most importantly, we hug the people we love.
Chapter 7: The Lesson of the Colors
When you look in the mirror after a day of Holi, you might see a purple nose, a green ear, and orange hair. You might look a little silly! But that silliness is a gift.
Holi teaches us three very important things:
Be Brave Like Prahlad: Even if someone is being mean or scary, keep your heart full of love. Goodness is a shield that nothing can break.
Be Joyful Like Krishna: Life is a celebration. Don't be afraid to get a little messy and play with your friends.
The World is One Family: Just like the colors mix together to make new shades, we are all mixed together in this big, beautiful world. When we celebrate together, we realize we aren't so different after all.
So, the next time you see a rainbow in the sky, remember the Prince and the Rainbow Wind. Remember that the world is your canvas, and you have the power to paint it with the colors of kindness.