Dhulivandan (also known as Dhulwad) is a Hindu festival celebrated in Maharashtra and some other states of India on the day after Holi. The festival of Holi is divided into two main parts, viz. Holika Dahan and Dhulivandan (Rangvali Holi). It marks the beginning of the spring season. In the regions (except Maharashtra), colors are used to smear each other, but in Maharashtra, traditionally, only Holi ash or mud is supposed to be used on this day. Colors are used on the day of Rangpanchami, a separate festival, but nowadays people also use colors.

The Meaning of the Word Dhulivandan:

The word Dhulivandan comprises two words, viz. Dhuli and Vandan. “Dhuli” means dust, and “Vandan” means salutation/worship. Therefore, it means “saluting someone with dust”. (Traditionally, people used to apply a Tilaka on each other’s foreheads in olden times; this might have given the name to the festival.)

Alternative Names of Dhulivandan:

1. Chhoti Holi.

2. Rangwali holi.

3. Dhulandi.

4. Dhuleti.

5. Dhulwad.

6. Dhurkhel.

7. Chait Badi.

8. Dhulendi.

When is Dhulwad Celebrated?

Dhulivandan is generally celebrated on the next day of Holi, i.e., Falgun Krishna Pratipada.

Why is Dhulivandan Celebrated?

There are different stories from different regions behind the celebration of the festival, but the story of Lord Shiva and Kamdev is more popular. Dhulivandan is celebrated as a symbol of the rebirth of Kamdev, who was burnt to ashes by Lord Shiva.

1. The Story of Lord Shiva and Kamdev:

Tarakasura was a demon who practiced severe penance and propitiated Lord Brahma. When Lord Brahma expressed his inability to grant him a wish for immortality, he wished that only a son of Lord Shiva could kill him. Lord Brahma granted him the wish.

After receiving the boon, Tarakasura thought that he had become immortal because Lord Shiva had denounced the world and engaged in deep meditation after the death of his first wife, Goddess Sati. Therefore, he was unlikely to marry and produce a son. Hence, he started torturing gods and ordinary people.

The gods needed to get Lord Shiva married and have a son to defeat Tarakasura. Therefore, they sent Kamadeva to Lord Shiva to invoke lust in his mind. 

Kamdev and his wife Rati went to the place where Lord Shiva was lost in deep meditation. He shot many arrows at him, but it was in vain. At that moment, Goddess Parvati came there with her friends. Just then, Lord Shiva also came out of his meditative state. Kamdev thought that that was the right moment to get the job done and shot an arrow toward Lord Shiva.

His arrow did its job, and Lord Shiva was enthralled by the beauty of Goddess Parvati and desired her. But soon, he wondered how such thoughts arose in his mind. He suspected that something was not right. He looked around and found Kamdev with his bow and arrow on his left side.

Lord Shiva got angry and opened his third eye. Scared Kamdev tried to call other gods for help, but before that, he was burnt to ashes by the fire from the third eye of Lord Shiva.

Seeing this, Rati started crying incessantly. When other gods came there, they consoled her that Kamdev would be reborn and get another body. All the gods praised Lord Shiva and calmed him down. He told Rati that Kamdev would be born as the son of Lord Krishna and Rukhmini in Dwapara Yuga.

2. The Story of Radha and Krishna:

Lord Krishna had a light black complexion, while Radha was a fair lady. She used to tease him about his skin color. So, one day, he complained to his mother, Yashoda, about it.

To console him, she told him to smear her face with color so she would not tease him again. Lord Krishna took the advice seriously and smeared Radha’s face with color.

(I think he might have used ash from Holi to smear her face, and this way the festival might have started.)

Scientific Reasons:

We read the Pauranic story behind the celebration of the festival, but there might also be some scientific reasons. The festival of Holi marks the end of winter and the beginning of summer in India. Therefore, splashing water on each other and applying mud to the body provides coolness and has a good effect on health.

Also, during spring, nature is rejuvenated. Burning the dried wood from trees helps trees regrow faster and better. Therefore, dry wooden branches are cut and burnt during Holika Dahan.

How is Dhulivandan Celebrated?

Dhulivandan is celebrated in many different ways across India.

In Maharashtra, Holi is celebrated the day before Dhulivandan. The day after Holi, women fill the storing vessels with water and keep them on the fireplace where Holi was burnt. When the water gets hotter due to sunlight, they bathe their children with the water. It is believed that children are protected from summer diseases because of it.

Men sprinkle water over the ash from Holi and apply Tilaka on their foreheads. Some apply the ash to their bodies and bathe. It is considered good for health.

In the northern region, people use colors to smear and splash colorful water on each other. Some people drink thandai or bhang at night.

A Strange Way of Celebrating Dhulivandan:

In the Beed district of Maharashtra, there is a village named Vida where the people organize processions of sons-in-law of the village (the men, who are staying in the village at their wives’ homes) by making them sit on donkeys and roam in the village.

Therefore, many sons-in-law disappear days before Dhulivandan and return after it, but the villagers find some of them and bring them to the village.

After the procession, the sons-in-law are carried to the Lord Hanuman Temple in the village and honored by giving gifts. Per the villagers, the custom has been around for the last 90 years.

It is said that it was started in fun but has now become a tradition of the village. There are about 150 sons-in-law who stay at their wives’ homes in the village. The person who sits on the donkey for the first time is exempted from sitting on it again for a lifetime.

(This custom is discontinued now.)

History:

Dhulivandan festival might be as old as Holi, as it is a part of it, or it might have started a few years later. People might have noticed that instead of wasting the ash from the Holi bonfire, they could use it to smear their bodies, which is good for their health.

Conclusion:

Dhulivandan is an important festival in Marathi culture, and a government holiday is declared on this day. Although it is a different festival from Rangpanchami, it is celebrated as part of it nowadays. It was initially a part of the Holi festival. Instead of using Holi ash or mud, people are using colors mostly. The festival of Dhulivandan is also getting tainted by evil things, as are many other Hindu festivals. Some young boys drink alcohol and play loud music publicly on the day. Some even tease girls and women.

Let us hope that the festival will return to its original state again one day.