Your Guide to Holi Festival: What It Is And Why It Is Celebrated | ExpatWoman.com
 

Your Guide to Holi Festival: What It Is And Why It Is Celebrated

Celebrated across the world, find out more about the Festival of Colour

Posted on

24 March 2016

Last updated on 18 October 2017
Your Guide to Holi Festival: What It Is And Why It Is Celebrated

Holi is a Hindu festival that marks the arrival of spring, and is popularly known as the Festival of Colour. Taking place over two days, it is a celebration of colour, fertility and love, as well as the triumph of good versus evil. 

 

A lot of people around the world participate in Holi, but it is mostly celebrated in parts of India and Nepal. It's widely associated with the coloured powders that end up swallowing places and people after they've thrown it at each other during celebrations. 

But unbeknownst to some, this is only one part of the whole festival. In fact, Holi is split into two main events: Holika Dahan and Rangwali Holi. 


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Holika Dahan

This takes place the night before Rangwali Holi. Wood and dung-cakes are burned in a symbolic fashion to signify good defeating evil. This reflects the Hindu Vedi scriptures, where the God Vishnu helps burn the devil Holika to death.

Rangwali Holi

In the morning after Holika Dahan, people father in public spaces and take part in Rangwali Holi. THis is the fun affair where people chase each other around, throwing handfuls of coloured powders (knoan as gulal) at each other, while being drenched in water.

Why is it celebrated?

As one of many Hindu celebrations, Holi is relatively secular and draws on various mythologies. Firstly, the burning of the devil Holika, and also the legend of Radha and Krishna. 

The story goes that Krishna loved Radha, but was self-conscious regarding the colour of their skin as it was so different. So advised by his mother, Krishna playfully painted her face so it was the same colour as his. As a result, it is said that lovers often celebrate Holi in this tradition, by colouring their faces during the celebrations. 

Holi is also seen as a time for everyone to get together with their friends, family and enjoy themselves. 

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When is Holi?

The timing of Holi is syncrhonised with the moon, so the date each year varies for celebrations.

It's an ancient celebration, and mentions of it can be dated back to the fourth centry poetry, and it was described in a 7th century play called Ratnaval: "Witness the beauty of the great cupid festival which excites curiosity as the townsfolk are dancing at the touch of brownish water thrown from squirt-guns.They are seized by pretty women while all along the roads the air is filled with singing and drum-beating. Everything is coloured yellowish red and rendered dusty by the heaps of scented powder blown all over."