Holi

Holi is a big and happy Hindu festival full of colors and love. It is a special time that celebrates the love between the gods Radha and Krishna. The festival also remembers when good defeated evil, honoring the story of Vishnu as Narasimha who defeated Hiranyakashipu.

Holi marks the arrival of spring in India and Nepal. It celebrates the end of winter and the blooming of love everywhere. People also hope for a good harvest at this time. The festival lasts for a night and a day. It begins on the evening of the Purnima, the full moon day, in the month of Phalguna. This usually happens around the middle of March.

Names

Holi is celebrated by many different names around the world. In Bengal, it is called Dol Jatra or Bôshonto Utshôb, meaning "swing festival" or "spring festival." In Assam, it is known as Phakua or Dôl Jātrā. In Nepal, it is called Phāgu Pūrṇimā. In Odisha, it is Dola jātra. In parts of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand, it is Fagua or Phagua. In the Caribbean islands such as Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Suriname, and Jamaica, it is called Phagwah or Phagwa. And in Fiji, it is known as Phagua.

The main day of the celebration is called Holi, Rangwali Holi, Dola Purnima, Dhuleti, Dhulandi, Ukuli, Manjal Kuli, Yaosang, Shigmo, Phagwah, or Jajiri.

About the festival

Holi is a sacred and ancient tradition for Hindus. It is a happy celebration where people have fun by throwing colored water and powder at each other. Many people, both Hindus and non-Hindus, enjoy Holi across the Indian subcontinent.

Holi marks the end of winter and the start of spring, usually in March or sometimes late February. It is a time to welcome the new season, enjoy colorful fun, and refresh relationships. The night before Holi, people gather around bonfires in a ceremony called Holika Dahan. They sing and dance together. The next day, the festival of Holi is celebrated with joy.

History

The Holi festival is an old celebration with deep roots in Hindu traditions. It started long ago, even before the Gupta period, and is mentioned in many old writings and stories. Important texts such as the Purva Mimamsa Sutras, Kathaka-Grhya-Sutras, Narada Purana, and Bhavishya Purana all talk about this joyful event. Famous writers like King Harsha, Daṇḍin, and Kālidāsa also wrote about Holi in their works.

By the 17th century, Holi caught the attention of European traders and British colonial workers. Old dictionaries show different ways people spelled the word Holi over time, such as Houly, Hooly, Huli, Hohlee, and finally Holi.
Gupta Purva Mimamsa Sutras Kathaka-Grhya-Sutras Narada Purana Bhavishya Purana Ratnavali King Harsha Puranas Dasakumara Charita Daṇḍin Kālidāsa Chandragupta II Ratnavali

Gods and goddesses

Radha Krishna

See also: Radha Krishna

In the Braj region of India, Holi is celebrated to honor the love between the deities Radha and Krishna. It marks the coming of spring and is a happy celebration of love. An ancient text called Garga Samhita tells how Radha and Krishna played Holi together.

There is a nice story about this. When Krishna was young, he worried that Radha might not like him because of his dark skin. His mother, Yashoda, told him to ask Radha to color his face however she liked. Radha did, and this playful moment is remembered during Holi.

Beyond India, Holi is also celebrated in some Caribbean communities with roots in Indian culture, such as Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Jamaica. It is also a big celebration in Mauritius, Fiji, and South Africa.

Background

Another story behind Holi comes from an ancient text called the Bhagavata Purana. It tells of a king named Hiranyakashipu who wanted everyone to worship only him. His son, Prahlada, loved the god Vishnu instead, which made the king very angry. The king tried many ways to punish his son, but Prahlada stayed strong in his beliefs.

Finally, Prahlada’s aunt, Holika, tried to trick him by sitting with him on a fire. Holika had magic protection from fire, but Prahlada did not. The magic cloak moved to Prahlada, saving him, while Holika burned. This story shows the victory of good over evil. The god Vishnu appeared as Narasimha to defeat the king, and Holi celebrates this triumph.

Kama and Rati

Holi is also linked to the god Shiva. The goddess Parvati wanted Shiva to return to the world, so she asked the god of love, Kamadeva, for help. Kamadeva shot arrows at Shiva, but Shiva turned Kamadeva to ashes. This upset Kamadeva’s wife, Rati, and Parvati. Rati meditated for forty days, and Shiva forgave her and brought Kamadeva back. This return of the god of love is celebrated as Holi, which occurs forty days after the festival of Vasant Panchami. This story has many versions, especially in South India.

Influence

The Holi festival is very important for many Hindu traditions in the Indian subcontinent. It is a happy day when people come together to forget old mistakes, forgive one another, and start anew. It marks the beginning of spring, a time to enjoy the new season and make new friends.

Holi is especially important in the Braj region, which includes places like Mathura, Vrindavan, Nandgaon, Barsana, and Gokula that are linked to the stories of Radha Krishna. These places attract many visitors during Holi.

Beyond India, Holi is celebrated by Hindus in Nepal, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, as well as in many other countries where people from India have settled. The way Holi is celebrated can vary depending on where you are.

Sikhs have also celebrated Holi historically. Guru Gobind Singh added a three-day event called Hola Mohalla after Holi, where Sikh soldiers practiced martial arts and other skills in Anandpur Sahib.

Celebrations

The night before Holi is called Holika Dahan. People gather around a bonfire to celebrate good winning over evil. They sing and dance around the fire. This comes from a story where a woman named Holika tried to hurt a boy but she was burned instead.

The next day, called Rangwali Holi, people play with colors. They use water guns and colored balloons to splash each other. Groups walk around singing, dancing, and playing music. Friends and family visit, share meals, and celebrate together. Holi is also a time for forgiveness and new beginnings, bringing people closer. In some places, there are poetry gatherings in the evening.

Holi colours

Traditional sources of colours

In spring, the weather changes and can make people feel unwell. People throw natural coloured powders, called gulal, which can help. These colours come from plants like palash, neem, kumkum, haldi, and bilva, as suggested by Āyurvedic doctors.

Many colours come from mixing others. Here are some traditional ways to get colours:

Orange and red colour

The flowers of the palash tree give bright red and orange colours. Other sources include sandalwood, hibiscus, madder tree, radish, and pomegranate. Mixing lime with turmeric or boiling saffron can also make orange.

Green colour

Mehendi and dried gulmohur leaves are sources of green. Some people also use spring leaves and herbs.

Yellow colour

Turmeric powder, or haldi, is a common yellow colour. It can be mixed with chickpea flour. Bael fruit, amaltas, chrysanthemums, and marigold are other yellow sources.

Blue colour

The Indigo plant, Indian berries, grapes, blue hibiscus, and jacaranda flowers give blue colours.

Magenta and purple colour

Beetroot is used to make magenta and purple colours by boiling it in water.

Brown colour

Dried tea leaves can make brown coloured water. Certain clays are also used.

Black colour

Grapes, amla fruits, and vegetable carbon can create grey to black colours.

Influence on other cultures

Holi is a fun social event enjoyed in parts of the United States. You can find celebrations at the Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple in Spanish Fork, Utah, NYC Holi Hai in Manhattan, New York, and Festival of Colors: Holi NYC in New York City, New York.

Many Holi-inspired events have started, especially in Europe and the United States. These events are often organized by companies for fun or to support a good cause. Some examples include Holi-inspired music festivals like the Festival Of Colours Tour and Holi One, where colored powder is thrown at certain times. There are also 5K run events such as The Color Run, Holi Run, and Color Me Rad, where runners get sprayed with colored powder at each kilometre. The BiH Color Festival is a Holi-inspired electronic music festival held every year in Brčko, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Issues

Some colours used during Holi can be harmful. A study showed that a blue-green dye can irritate eyes if not washed off right away. Another study found that some colours sold contain strong industrial dyes that can cause skin problems. These colours are often made without safety checks.

Because of these concerns, many groups are working to make Holi safer. Some groups help children learn how to make their own colours from natural ingredients. Some companies sell “herbal” dyes, but they cost more. In many rural areas, people have always used natural colours. In cities, some people wear masks and sunglasses to protect themselves.

The use of certain dyes can also temporarily pollute water, but the water returns to normal after the festival.

malachite green Development Alternatives, Delhi Kalpavriksh Environment Action Group, Pune wastewater