Similar to how Holi of Braj enjoys national fame, Holi of Masan in Kashi holds immense significance. Every year in Kashi, Masaan Holi is celebrated on the following day of Ekadashi in the month of Phalgun, on Shukla Paksha.

Masan Holi is regarded as a two-day celebration. Visuals were created on Masan Holi from gulal and cremation ash. Elders and saints commemorate Shiva bhajans at Manikarnika Ghat in Kashi by dancing and chanting, and they also commemorate life and death by scattering Masaan ashes into the air and dousing each other in it.

How did Masan Holi come into tradition?
At this time, Har-Har Mahadev's name is chanted everywhere in Kashi, and the entire city takes on the appearance of Shiva. After his marriage, Lord Shiva is said to have been the first to celebrate Masaan Holi.

For the first time after their marriage, Lord Shiva and Parvati traveled to Kashi. One such myth is that Rangbhari Ekadashi fell on this day. Lord Shiva performed Holi on the day of Rangbhari Ekadashi by dousing Mother Parvati in gulal.

From a distance, the Shiva devotees were celebrating this Holi in honor of Shiva and Parvati. On Rangbhari Ekadashi, the goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva performed a Holi dance. The following day, Lord Shiva was asked to play Holi with Aghori sadhus, ghosts, yakshas, vampires, and other devotees of Bholenath.

What is the importance of Masan Holi?
The Holi of Masaan is thought to resemble a celebration of death. Masan Holi is a representation of the idea that one can enjoy life's joys when they embrace their fear and let go of their fear of dying.

The ultimate truth is believed to lie in the ashes of a bonfire. The lesson here is that a person's ego is similar to their wood; if they continue to rub against the wood of greed, their life journey will ultimately come to a stop in dust. Holi of Masan is important everywhere to defeat death since, in accordance with another mythology, Lord Shiva had also defeated Yamraj at the same time.

Also Read: Holi Special: Try this easy Dahi Bhalla recipe to make your Holi party more interesting