Holi is the one of the most popular festival of India. It is celebrated throughout the country with great fervor and enthusiasm. According to Hindu calendar, Holi is celebrated on the full moon day of Phalgun (February – March) month. In 2010, Holi falls on 28th February.

Holi is called ‘Festival of Colors’. It marks the end of winter season and observed to welcome spring season. This Hindu spring festival is observed not only in India but also in Nepal, Pakisthan, Bangladesh and Srilanka where large communities of Hindus live. The most celebrated place of Holi is Braj region of Uttar Pradesh, where Holi is celebrated for 16 days.

Holi Rituals and Celebrations

Holi is preparations start days before the festival. People start gathering wood and colors for the festival. Wood is needed for litting the huge bonfires called Holika at the major places of the towns.

Holika Dahan: The important ritual of Holi is Holika Dahan. The ritual is based on legend of Prahlad and Holika. According to the legend Holika was devil sister of demon king Hiranyakashipu. Hiranyakashipu had a son who was a pure devotee of Lord Narayana. Demon Hiranyakashipu could not tolerate this and planned to kill his son. He assigned Holika to do this. Holika had a boon that she could not be burned by fire. Holika took Prahlad in her lap and sat in huge bonfire to burn him alive. But by Lord Narayana’s mercy nothing happened to Prahlad, on the contrary Holika was burnt to ashes.

Holika Dahan is done on the night of the previous day of Holi. Huge bonafires are lit and people sing the glories of Prahlad and his devotion to Lord Narayana. Some people burn fires in their own courtiyards.

Colorful Holi: Holi is celebrated with colors. People get ready for the splash of colors. They take extreme delight in spraying colored powders and colored water on each other. Buckets and drums of colorful water are prepared for the splash. Pichkaris and mugs are employed to splash the water on one another and people enjoy with the colorful faces. They sing songs dedicated to Holi and dance on the beats of dholaks and mridanagas. Special Holi dishes are made and are relished with great joy.