Holi
होली
The vibrant festival of colors celebrates the victory of good over evil and the arrival of spring. People joyfully throw colored powders and water at each other, sing, dance, and share sweets.
Why We Celebrate
Holi celebrates the legend of Prahlad and Holika — young Prahlad's unshakable devotion to Lord Vishnu saved him from the fire that consumed the demoness Holika. It also celebrates the divine love of Radha and Krishna, who playfully colored each other in Vrindavan. The festival marks the end of winter and the triumph of spring, representing renewal, forgiveness, and the mending of broken relationships.
Holi is known as the festival of colors, celebrating the playful love of Radha and Krishna. According to legend, young Krishna complained to his mother Yashoda that Radha was fair while he was dark-skinned. Yashoda playfully suggested he color Radha's face any color he wanted. Krishna took this advice and smeared Radha and the gopis (milkmaids) with colors, beginning the joyful tradition of playing Holi in Vrindavan.
The festival also commemorates the victory of devotion over evil through the story of Prahlad and Holika, celebrated the night before with bonfires (Holika Dahan). Holi marks the arrival of spring (Vasant), the end of winter, and the blossoming of flowers and crops. The colors represent the vibrancy of life, renewal, and the breaking down of social barriers — on Holi, everyone is equal.
Beyond the fun and color play, Holi is a day for forgiveness, letting go of grudges, and starting fresh. It is a time to mend broken relationships, laugh without inhibition, and celebrate the simple joy of being alive. Whether in the lanes of Mathura or your backyard in the diaspora, Holi brings people together in pure, unfiltered happiness.
How It's Celebrated
On the eve (Holika Dahan), gather around a bonfire and offer prayers
Walk around the bonfire (parikrama) and offer coconut, grain, and popcorn
On Holi morning, play with organic colors (gulal) and water with friends and family
Visit neighbors and elders, applying tilak and exchanging sweets
Prepare and share festive drinks like thandai and sweets like gujiya
In the evening, bathe, wear new clothes, and visit temples
Regional Variations
What You Need
- Organic gulal (colored powder) — avoid chemical colors
- Water guns (pichkari) and balloons
- Coconut oil or mustard oil (apply before playing to protect skin)
- Gujiya, thandai, and other festive sweets
- Firewood, cow dung cakes, and coconut for Holika Dahan
- Old white clothes to play in
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Did You Know?
- ✦In Mathura and Vrindavan, Holi celebrations last an entire week, with Lathmar Holi (where women playfully hit men with sticks) and Phoolon ki Holi (flower Holi) at Banke Bihari temple.
- ✦The traditional Holi drink, thandai, is infused with bhang (a cannabis paste) in many parts of North India — a legal and culturally accepted practice during the festival.
- ✦Holi is one of the oldest Hindu festivals, mentioned in ancient texts like the Narada Purana and depicted in 16th-century Vijayanagara empire temple sculptures.
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