A Heartwarming Folk Tale About the Festival of Colours and the Victory of Good Over Evil

Under the big old banyan tree, where the wind whispered secrets and the birds sang sweet songs, Lil Poco, the playful little monkey, swung down from a branch. His eyes were full of curiosity as he saw the village children laughing and playing with bright colours.

He ran over to Granny, who was sitting on her wooden cot, making delicious gujiyas. “Granny! Granny!” he called, his little tail swishing with excitement. “Why is everyone covered in so many colours? What is this festival?”

Granny chuckled, wiping her hands on her cotton saree. “Ah, Lil Poco, this is Holi! The festival of colours, joy, and love!”

“Holi? What makes it so special?” Lil Poco asked, tilting his head.

Granny smiled and began a story. “A long time ago, there was a proud and powerful king named Hiranyakashipu. He wanted everyone to worship only him. But his son, Prahlad, was different. He was a kind boy who believed in goodness and prayed to Lord Vishnu.”

Lil Poco clapped his little paws. “Then what happened?”

“The king became very angry at Prahlad and tried many times to stop him. Finally, he asked his sister, Holika, to help. She had a magical cloak that protected her from fire. She tricked little Prahlad into sitting on a fire with her. But guess what?”

“What? What?” Lil Poco asked eagerly.

“Because Prahlad’s heart was pure, the cloak flew from Holika and covered him instead. Holika was burned, but Prahlad was saved by Lord Vishnu’s blessings.”

Lil Poco gasped, covering his mouth. “That means goodness always wins!”

“Yes, my dear,” Granny nodded. “That’s why, on the night before Holi, people light bonfires to remember this story and burn away bad thoughts.”

“But Granny, what about the colours?” Lil Poco asked, looking at the bright powders on the children’s faces.

Granny’s eyes twinkled. “Ah! That comes from another story of Lord Krishna. When he was a boy, he worried that his skin was dark while his beloved Radha was fair. His mother playfully told him to colour Radha’s face with any shade he liked. And that’s how smearing colours on each other became a Holi tradition, spreading love and happiness!”

Lil Poco clapped his hands. “Wow! Holi is all about fun, love, and celebrating good over evil!”

Granny patted his furry head. “Yes, Lil Poco. And Holi teaches us an important lesson: No matter how much darkness there is, kindness and goodness will always shine brighter. And of course, we must always share happiness with everyone, just like the colours of Holi.”

Excited, Lil Poco ran off to join the children, throwing colours everywhere. That day, under the shade of the great banyan tree, Lil Poco learned not just the stories of Holi, but also the joy of kindness, love, and laughter.

As the sun set, Granny watched with a smile, knowing that some lessons are best learned through play and a splash of colour.

Happy Holi!