Holika Dahan
holika dahan sanskrit होलिका दहन romanized holikā dahana lit burning holika rendered holika dahanam sanskrit chotti holi hindu festival bonfire lit celebrate burning demoness holika ritual symbolic victory good evil precedes holi festival colour celebrates spring season according legend holika sister hiranyakashipu acquired boon rendered invulnerable fire attempted kill nephew prahlada placing lap bonfire however immolated prahlada saved fire south india occasion called kama dahanam associated legend shiva burning kamadeva ash third eye pantomime kamadeva performed occasion rural tamil nadu effigy burnt night holi pyre burnt north india nepal part south india keeping tradition part north india day called holika dahan part like purvanchal eastern uttar pradesh western bihar well terai region nepal called sammat jaarna