Holika Dahan 2019: Mumbaikars to burn Jaish chief, PUBG effigies on Holi

Mumbai, Mar 20: Holi 2019, the festival of colours, bids adieu to winters and marks the onset of spring. Holi is played a day after Holika Dahan, also called Chhoti Holi. It will be celebrated today. On Holika Dahan, holy pyres are burnt on streets and open spaces, signifying the victory of good over evil. People sing and dance around the fire and also perform parikrama - take a round around the fire. The legend of Prahlad, Holika and Hiranyakashyap is associated with it.

Upholding the significance of the day, Mumbaikars will be burning two effigies on Holika Dahan, marking the triumph of good over evil. The statues-Jaish-e-Mohammed leader, Masood Azhar and online PUBG are placed at two different pyres in Worli for tonight's bonfire.

Twin brothers Amar and Ashish Vitthal from Maharashtra chose Holika Dahan, which marks the triumph of good over evil, to create awareness about the ills of PUBG Mobile, a multiplayer third-person shooter game.

It can be recalled that on February 14, a total of 44 security personnel from the Army and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were martyred in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district since February 14. The attacker reportedly was a member of Jaish-e-Mohammad.

Again, infamous online game, PUBG was headlined recently, with youngsters so much engrossed into it that they often affect their health. PUBG is one of the most popular mobile games in India and other parts across the world. And at the same time, the increasing popularity of the game has led to protest from parents complaining about the children addiction towards it. The game was banned in Rajkot, Gujarat, and those found playing could be arrested.

In February this year, Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) had said popular online games such as PUBG, Fortnite, Grand Theft Auto, God of War, Hitman, Plague Inc and Pokemon negatively impact children.

Meanwhile, have a look at the auspicious timings of Holika Dhahan:

According to drikpanchang.com, Holika Dahan timings are:
Holika Dahan Muhurta = 8:58 PM (21 March) to 12:34 AM (22 March)
Duration = 3 Hours 36 Mins
Bhadra Punchha = 5:24 PM to 6:25 PM
Bhadra Mukha = 6:25 to 08:07 PM