The 27th of February is the greatest Civaite day in the year.  It celebrates Civa’s first manifestation of himself in phallic form.  To keep this day holy expiates from all sin, and secures bliss hereafter.  The worshipper must fast and revere the Linga.  Offerings are made to the Linga.  It is, of course, a celebration formed of unmeaning repetitions of syllables and the invocation of female Caktis, snapping the fingers, gesticulating, and performing all the humbug called for by Civaite worship.  The Linga is bathed in milk, decorated, wrapped in bilva leaves, and prayed to; which ceremony is repeated at intervals with slight changes.  All castes, even the lowest, join in the exercises.  Even women may use the mantras.[52] Vigil and fasting are the essentials of this worship.[53]

The next festival closes these great spring celebrations.  It bears two names, and originally was a double feast, the first part being the Dol[=a] Y[=a]tr[=a], or ‘Swing-procession,’ the second part being the execrable Holi.  They are still kept distinct in some places, and when this occurs the Dolotsava, or Dol[=a] Y[=a]tr[=a], follows the Holi.  They are both spring festivals, and answer roughly to May-day, though in India they come at the full moon of March.  We have followed Wilson’s enumeration of all the minor spring feasts, that they may be seen in their entirety.  But in ancient times there was probably one long Vasantotsava (spring-festival), which lasted for weeks, beginning with a joyous celebration (2d of February) and continuing with lustral ceremonies, as indicated by the now detached feast days already referred to.  The original cult, in Wilson’s opinion, has been changed, and the Dol[=a] Y[=a]tr[=a] is now given over to the Krishna-cult, while the Hol[=i] divinity is a hobgoblin.  The Dol[=a] Yatr[=a] begins with fasting and ends (as Hol[=i]) with fire-worship.  An image of Krishna is sprinkled with red powder (ab[=i]r), and after this (religious) ceremony a bonfire[54] is made, and an effigy, Holik[=a], is put upon it and burned.  The figure is carried to the fire in a religious procession headed by Vishnuite or Brahman priests, of course accompanied with music and song.  After seven circumambulations of the fire the figure is burned.  This is the united observance of the first day.  At dawn on the morning of the second day the image of Krishna is placed in a swing, dol[=a], and swung back and forth a few times, which ceremony is repeated at noon and at sunset.  During the day, wherever a swing is put up, and in the vicinity, it is the common privilege to sprinkle one’s friend with the red powder or red rose-water.  Boys and common people run about the streets sprinkling red water or red powder over all passengers, and using abusive (obscene) language.  The cow-herd caste is conspicuous at this ceremony.  The cow-boys, collecting in parties under a koryphaios, hold, as it were, a komos, leaping, singing, and dancing[55]