I had the most fun as a kid playing oli. Growing up in a Hindu household, I absolutely loved the spectacle that came with the Festival of Colors every spring. One of the most remarkable things about the event is how enthusiastic and carefree it is. Even though I didn’t love being dragged to temple as a child, going for Holi was always an exception.
There is so much more to attending a Holi festival than just throwing colors and taking a few pictures. Interacting with friends and family takes you out of the rut of late winter. The celebrations I attended were always extremely inclusive—my Hindu relatives, young and old, were excited to share the day with anyone interested in joining in. Additionally, there are numerous opportunities to participate in the tradition in the United States. Here’s everything you need to know about Holi, including the meaning behind it, what the colors symbolize, and where to celebrate.
What’s Holi? A crowd of people celebrating Holi by throwing colored powder and enjoying festivities in a vibrant historical courtyard
Dan Highwood/Recreation and Travel If you’re wondering what Holi is all about, you might find there isn’t one straight answer. It’s a celebration of the end of winter and the beginning of spring, of rebirth and new beginnings. It’s time to let go of the bad things. Purnima, or the day of the full moon, is always the date of the festival. Holika Dahan, the day before the full moon, is the second day of the two-day holiday. For a puja (or prayer), a bonfire is lit at that time. The purpose of the bonfire is purification and the extinguishing of all evil. Color reigns supreme on the day following the full moon. Why does Holi go by the moniker “Festival of Colors?” Holi
Getty Images / EyeEm / Johanna Drouin The colorful celebration is the main Holi event. The day of the color festival typically does not typically include a religious ceremony, despite the fact that the bonfire the night before has a religious component. It’s purely about having fun within your community by taking to the streets or attending private celebrations to throw colors at each other. The colors are each said to symbolize something different. Krishna, a Hindu god whose skin is blue, is called blue. Green is a color that represents new life and beginnings. Red is the color of marriage and can symbolize matrimony or fertility. Additionally, turmeric’s yellow hue is frequently utilized for auspicious occasions. What is Holi’s background? Holi is said to have been celebrated for centuries, but over time, the purpose of the festival has evolved. In its infancy, the Holi festival was supposedly a ceremony for married women to bestow well-being and prosperity on their new family and married life.
The triumph of good over evil is one of the primary themes of Holi. This comes from the story of the king Hiranyakashipu, who thought he was immortal. His son, Prahlad, was a devoted worshipper of Vishnu, a Hindu deity, and it displeased Hiranyakashipu that his own son would worship Vishnu over him. According to the legend, Lord Vishnu killed Hiranyakashipu when he appeared as a half-lion, half-man. Thus, good triumphed over evil.
The other story often associated with Holi is the story of Krishna and Radha. Krishna is always depicted with blue skin—according to Hindu legend, his skin turned blue as a baby when he drank poisonous milk from a demon. Krishna was worried that Radha wouldn’t feel the same way about him because of his skin, but he fell in love with Radha anyway. Radha gave Krishna permission to color her skin, and the two of them fell in love. We then apply color to each other’s skin every Holi. When is Holi?
Holi always falls on the full moon that occurs during Phalguna, a month on the Hindu calendar that corresponds with late February and early March on the Gregorian calendar. The exact dates of Holi change with the moon’s cycle, but it will always be in March until 2035. The customary puja and bonfire are held on the eve of the festival, Holika Dahan. The following day, Purnima or Rangwali Holi, is when the full Festival of Colors calls for throwing pigmented powder, spraying water guns, and dancing in the streets.
