Holi: The Festival of Colors and How to Experience It

Holi, the festival of colors is the most famous Indian festival in the world, which anyone can participate in by visiting any destination in India. Let's find out what this colorful and deeply significant tradition of the Indian continent consists of. Holi celebrates the end of the winter season and the entrance of the Earth into the fertile period of spring.

Holi is an important event that takes place every year throughout India. It is a hymn to joy where all pain and affliction is abandoned to embrace life in all its beauty. It is one of the most colorful and lively festivals in the country where each participant can and must free themselves from any constraint, and in fact the general euphoria of the event softens blocks and conditioning.

Following the rhythm of music, coloured powders mixed with water are thrown on the crowd that celebrates by singing and dancing in the streets.

What Are The Origins Of The Holi Festival?

It is in fact a festival born, probably at the time of the Aryans. Religious texts from the 4th century BC contain references to this festival, which in ancient times was known as Holika. Like everything in India, there are many legends surrounding the origins of Holi and they have many versions. To summarise, we are going to tell you about the two most important ones:

The festival of Holi is a highly religious event. Holi starts with the act of burning an evil figure by lighting of a large bonfire on the day of the first full moon of March. With this rite, the aim is, in an allegorical sense, to burn, to destroy every form of evil.

In fact the term Holi derives from the name Holika, associated with a female demon of the ancient Indian mythology and which recalls an archaic ceremony, in which the defeat of evil by good was celebrated. But let's take a closer look at the origin of the legend.

According to tradition, Holika Dahan or Choti Holi ritual has its roots in a bloody episode that tells of a dispute between a father and son. Legend has it that the demon Hiranyakashyap allied himself with his sister Holika, also a demon known for her power over fire, to annihilate and kill his own son Prahlad, using a pyre in which Holika would have kept the boy with her.

The reason why the father hated Prahlad so much was that he declared himself faithful to Vishnu, rather than honoring his father, who was also an immortal deity, a loyalty that had allowed the young man to survive a previous attempt to kill him by means of poisonous snakes.

Despite the cruelty of the father, the second plan to kill Prahlad also failed, once again thanks to the protection of Vishnu himself, while Holika, the aunt, ended up burned at the stake despite having notorious powers that allowed her to survive the flames.

There is also another story, much lighter and more carefree, which is linked to the reason why this ceremony is also called the festival of colours in relation to the second phase of the celebration.

Another legend, in this case related to Krishna, tells that he complained to his mother that he had dark skin, while his beloved Radha's skin was fair. To please Krishna, his mother suggested that he paint Radha's skin with coulours, giving rise to the tradition of painting one's face and body with coloured powders.

It is said that Krishna, one of the emanations of the Indian divinity, enjoyed bothering young girls, throwing a mixture of water and colors at them. This is how, over time, this tradition was transformed into a religious ceremony.

When Is Holi Celebrated?

Holi lasts for two days and, specifically, one night and the entire following day. It never takes place on a specific date since the festival begins on the night of the first full moon in the month of Falgun (usually February or March), following the rules of the Indian calendar.

It usually takes place almost always between the end of February and the beginning of March. On the night before full moon, bonfires are lit and the following day, the day in which the full moon occurs, people pour into the streets to joyfully experience the ritual of colors.

How Is Holi Celebrated In India?

The party therefore begins the evening before the full moon, with the lighting of a large pyre on which everyone must ritually deposit all the pains, all the sorrows and every affliction that weighs on their soul.

A container filled with barley seeds from the new harvest is also placed under the bonfire, and as the fire toasts the seeds, people eat them. It is also common to make predictions about the next harvests, based on the movement of the flames of the pyre or the condition of the seeds after toasting, according to popular tradition.

The ashes of the pyre are also considered true lucky charms, so much so that people participating in the ritual often take home the still-lit embers, and the population usually uses these embers to light the fire in their homes, taking care to then preserve the remains of the ashes knowing that these will protect them from discomfort and problems for the rest of the year.

The festival of colors begins early in the morning on Dhuleti with music and songs, and people invade the streets, so in the villages as in the cities you can witness a riot of colors and lightheartedness. The aabir or gulal, composed of coloured powders, are thrown into the air and form clouds of bright colors.

Falling down, people cover the heads, clothes and faces of the people parading in the street. They mix with water on the ground and create multicolored streams, making everything more magical and carefree and chasing away, at least for a short time, the monotony, melancholy and difficulties of every day.

Among the general euphoria, the colorful jokes and the jets of water, the participants can also taste numerous sweets made for the occasion. All this is the festival of colours. Children throw balloons filled with water at passers-by and to those who complain they say Bura na mano Holi hai.

As in any self-respecting festival, there is no shortage of dances, folk songs and sumptuous banquets. During Holi, in fact, traditional delicacies such as gujiya, malpua, mathri, puran poli and dahi vada are savoured, invariably accompanied by glasses full of thandai. All amidst games and laughter.

And after the intense day, the evening is spent with relatives and friends exchanging sweets and Holi greetings.

Best Places To Celebrate Holi

Holi is celebrated in every part of India. Usually the strongest emotion and involvement is felt in North India, and more lavishly in the cities of Santiniketan, Delhi, Jaipur, Vrindavan and Mathura.

The celebrations are more intense and cheerful than those held in the southern part of the country, where the ritual is more intimate and focused on the religious aspect of the celebrations in the temples.

In any case, the festival of colors in India is celebrated everywhere, so you cannot miss even one of the joyful aspects of this event. Each region of India, however, celebrates Holi in different ways depending on its own customs.

Apart from the already mentioned cities of Santiniketan, Delhi, Jaipur and Mathura, where tourists can also participate in the celebration, in the rest of India the festival is celebrated mainly by the local population.

In Mathura, Lathmar Holi is the prelude to the entire festival. On this day, the men of Nandgaon move to Barsana, where the "angry" women await them, who sprinkle them with colour and hit them on the head with bamboo sticks. The men who, in an attempt to escape, are caught are forced to dress as women and dance. Reach the Ladliji temple dedicated to Sri Radha Rani to witness the strange and super fun tradition.

On Holi, the best place to catch the throwing of colours in Mathura is Dwarkadhish Temple. The Banke-Bihari Temple in Vrindavan hosts a week long Holi celebrations. The event is held just a day before the Holi festival. The temple opens its doors to all visitors to come and play Holi.

Holi is particularly popular in Vrindavan, so much so that residents and visitors begin celebrating a week before with throwing colors, petals and other traditional rituals.

Situated on the banks of the Ganges River, Varanasi is easily one of the most iconic places to celebrate the Holi Festival. On the night before the Holi Festival, a giant bonfire is lit on the banks of the Ganges to signify new beginnings and freedom from ailments and illness. Many people will rub the ashes all over their bodies to rid themselves of these same ailments and illnesses for the coming year. Holi is of special importance to the people of Udaipur because of the special interest that members of the royal family take in bringing the Festival of Colour to their people. Holi celebrations in Jaipur encompass elephant parades, elephant beauty pageants, various folk dances and many other festivities. The first day of Holika Dahan is observed every year at the City Palace in the presence of the royal family of Mewar. The customs of lighting the Holi pyre are traditionally performed by the current guardian of the Mewar dynasty. An elaborate function then takes place at the City Palace.

Jaisalmer is also a wonderful city to visit during Holi, especially for the contrast between the colors used to play and the yellow ochre of the houses in the Fort. A real godsend if you like photography, as long as you cover your camera well!

Basant Utsav is observed as an annual event at Tagore's Vishwa Bharati University. The students present wonderful folk dances and cultural programmes for the visitors followed by the throwing of colours. Basant Utsav has become a cherished tradition in Shantiniketan. Everyone is seen dressed in spring colours. There is a song in every heart and a skip in every step. Basant Utsav is held a day before Holi and is now considered an important part of Bengali heritage. Purulia district celebrates Holi in a traditional way. The city is just 246 km from Kolkata and it takes approximately 5 hours to reach the destination. The villagers in the district arrange special Chau dance, Darbari Jhumur, Natua dance and many other activities for three days.

However, it is among the local population that the event shows its true face, full of intense participation, something that the traveler can fully enjoy by getting into the spirit of the celebration.

At this point, we must highlight a noteworthy curiosity that will make you understand how important this festival is becoming. In an attempt to honour the hymn to the joy of rebirth, anticipated by spring, in recent times the Holi festival has crossed the borders of India to be celebrated even in the West, although obviously with different methods and purposes.

The joy transmitted by the colours, in short, has also infected the European souls in cities like Berlin, Munich, Venice, Madrid, Paris and others. The coloured powder and the liberating joy of the game, the desire to break the chains of constraint are having a positive influence and opening the minds of many people.

A little healthy madness is a prerequisite for change, as our Latin saying goes Semel in anno licet insanire or once a year it is permissible to go mad or to go out of oneself. The Holi festival reminds us, in some way, that play and joy are an integral part of a life well lived.

During the celebrations, coloured powders are thrown into the crowd through powerful cannons in complete safety, but to tell the truth, this type of Holi has nothing to do with the intense spirituality that can be felt during the event in India.

Within the various localities of India, the festival is called in different ways and the rituals differ from area to area even if the main ingredient, that is joy and lightheartedness, remains the main element for young and old.

Generally we can say that the festival, in the southern part of India is much more marked by the religious aspect while, towards the north, it transforms and loses some of its intimate recollection to give in some tone to the more commercial aspect.

Tips For Enjoying Holi In The Best Way

Here are some general indications to keep in mind if you decide to participate in the event by getting involved in the festive crowd:

The suggestion is to wear clothes that you don't care about that much and that you can throw away once used: the colors will envelop everything!

Be sure to coat your face and hair with coconut oil, so as to prevent your skin and scalp from absorbing the color, or at least reduce its impact.

To protect your eyes, wear sunglasses.

Avoid using colored powders purchased in supermarkets or local markets because you cannot be sure of the quality of the pigments, and you risk incurring poisoning or burns caused by chemicals present in the powders.

On the eve of Holi keep you and your children at a safe distance from the Holi bonfire.

The skin is the largest organ and it is important to protect it from synthetic dyes, which often contain ingredients such as lead oxide in black, mercury sulfide in red, aluminum bromide in silver, and copper sulphate in green. These can easily penetrate the skin to cause various health problems. Therefore, wear clothing that covers as much of your body as possible.

Try making colors at home using turmeric, marigold flowers or herbal colors; else buy herbal formulas. Use more light red or pink colors, they look nice and can be easily taken off. Avoid bright violet, green, yellow and orange colors that are more likely to contain harmful ingredients.

Apply a generous amount of moisturizing lotion or oil to your face, arms, legs, and any exposed skin. Use a waterproof sunscreen to protect your skin from sun damage.

Hair can become brittle, frizzy and extremely dry due to Holi colours. Protect your hair from harmful chemicals, dirt and dust by massaging your scalp and hair with oil. Wear a cap or hat before going out to play Holi.

Protect your eyes by wearing sunglasses and remove contact lenses before venturing outdoors. If color gets into eyes, rinse immediately with cool water.

Avoid using harsh soaps and shampoos to remove the color. Use a mild soap for your skin and baby shampoo followed by conditioner for your hair. Avoid using kerosene, gasoline and alcohol to remove stains as they will dry out the skin further.

Immediately wash the color off any part of the body that experiences irritation or itching. Apply a soothing calamine lotion or Aloe gel and avoid sunlight as the irritation increases.

Avoid playing outdoors with dry colors if you are prone to asthma or are allergic to dust and pollen.

The official drink of Holi, Marijuana, when consumed in large quantities can lead to increased blood pressure and a hike in heart rate. Drink in moderation and avoid mixing with alcohol.

Respect our natural resources and avoid wasting too much water. Avoid throwing water balloons from a distance as they may hurt someone.

Respect all forms of life and avoid giving colour to stray animals and pets. It is extremely harmful to them and amounts to cruelty.

Stay hydrated by drinking water before, after, and during the festivities. Water prevents harmful chemicals from being absorbed into the skin and also helps get rid of excess toxins.

Avoid using your fingers to eat to prevent Holi colours from entering your system through food. The changing weather conditions during this time of the year could make you more susceptible to colds and coughs. Avoid drinks and foods that are too cold. Go for lukewarm water instead.

Replenish and rejuvenate your skin after the festivities with plenty of moisturiser or a homemade face pack of gram flour (besan) and curd or cream (malai). An oil massage (coconut, olive or mustard oil), plenty of water and a good amount of rest should have you in good shape sooner rather than later.

Holi is for those who participate, an experience full of true joy and lightheartedness. The bright colors of the powders that dye the air, the flavor of the wonderful Indian food, the music that marks the rhythms of the dances marked by the skilled dholwala, the players of dhol, the Indian drum that is never missing at the parties. Everything contributes to making this event magical and strongly mystical.

The traveler will be fascinated, captured, experiencing something that goes far beyond the event of a simple cultural nature. The Holi festival is a hymn to life, an invitation to let loose the creative force that has been acting on the planet for centuries: the force of nature.

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3 Comments
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Kala said…
I did not know about this festival. Thank you for sharing the photos and information!
Anonymous said…
happy holi..

nice photos and info

thanks
Lisa Gordon said…
What a cheerful image this is Kalyan!

Sending you wishes for a wonderful weekend!