Holi - ReligionFacts ReligionFacts Bowker, John (ed.) Holi In Hinduism, Holi (also called Holaka or Phagwa) is an annual festival celebrated on the day after the full moon in the Hindu month of Phalguna (early March). It celebrates spring, commemorates various events in Hindu mythology and is time of disregarding social norms and indulging in general merrymaking. Holi is probably the least religious of Hindu holidays. During Holi, Hindus attend a public bonfire, spray friends and family with colored powders and water, and generally go a bit wild in the streets. The central ritual of Holi is the throwing and applying of colored water and powders on friends and family, which gives the holiday its common name "Festival of Colors." This ritual is said to be based on the above story of Krishna and Radha as well as on Krishna's playful splashing of the maids with water, but most of all it celebrates the coming of spring with all its beautiful colors and vibrant life. History and Meaning of Holi Celebrated all over India since ancient times, Holi's precise form and purpose display great variety. Originally, Holi was an agricultural festival celebrating the arrival of spring.

This aspect still plays a significant part in the festival in the form of the colored powders: Holi is a time when man and nature alike throw off the gloom of winter and rejoice in the colors and liveliness of spring. Holi also commemorates various events in Hindu mythology, but for most Hindus it provides a temporary opportunity for Hindus to disregard social norms, indulge in merrymaking and generally "let loose." The legend commemorated by the festival of Holi involves an evil king named Hiranyakashipu. He forbade his son Prahlad from worshipping Vishnu, but Radhu continued to do offer prayers to the god. Getting angry with his son, Hiranyakashipu challenged Prahlad to sit on a pyre with his wicked aunt Holika who was believed to be immune to fire. (In an alternate version, Holika put herself and Prahlad on the fire on orders from her brother.) Prahlad accepted the challenge and prayed to Vishnu to keep him safe. When the fire started, everyone watched in amazement as Holika was burnt to death, while Prahlad survived without a scar to show for it. The burning of Holika is celebrated as Holi.

According to some accounts, Holika begged Prahlad for forgiveness before her demise, and he decreed that she would be remembered every year at Holi. An alternative account of the basis of the holiday is associated with a legend involving Lord Shiva, one of the major Hindu gods. Shiva is known for his meditative nature and his many hours spent in solitude and deep meditation. Madana, the God of love, decided to test his resolve and appeared to Shiva in the form of a beautiful nymph. But Shiva recognized Madana and became very angry. In a fit of rage he shot fire out of his third eye and reduced her to ashes. This is sometimes given as the basis of Holi's bonfire. The festival of Holi is also associated with the enduring love between Lord Krishna (an incarnation of Vishnu) and Radha, and Krishna in general. According to legend, the young Krishna complained to his mother Yashoda about why Radha was so fair and he so dark. Yashoda advised him to apply colour on Radha's face and see how her complexion would change.

Because of this associated with Krishna, Holi is extended over a longer period in Vrindavan and Mathura, two cities with which Krishna is closely affiliated. Krishna's followers everywhere find special meaning in the joyous festival, as general frivolity is considered to be in imitation of Krishna's play with the gopis (wives and daughters of cowherds). Holi Rituals and Customs Holi is spread out over two days (it used to be five, and in some places it is longer). The entire holiday is associated with a loosening of social restrictions normally associated with caste, sex, status and age. Holi thus bridges social gaps and brings people together: employees and employers, men and women, rich and poor, young and old. Holi is also characterized by the loosening of social norms governing polite behavior and the resulting general atmosphere of licentious merrymaking and ribald language and behavior. A common saying heard during Holi is bura na mano, Holi hai ("don't feel offended, it's Holi"). On the evening of the first day of Holi, a public bonfire is held, commemorating the burning of Holika.

Traditionally, Hindu boys spend the weeks prior to Holi combing the neighborhood for any waste wood they can find for the bonfire. The fire is lit sometime between 10 PM and midnight (at the rising of the moon), not generally in an orderly fashion. Everyone gathers in the street for the event, and the air rings with shouts, catcalls, curses and general mayhem. . In Bengal, Holi features the Dolayatra (Swing Festival), in which images of the gods are placed on specially decorated platforms and devotees take turns swinging them. In the meantime, women dance around and sing special songs as men spray colored water at them. References What Is Holi, The Colour Festival? What Is Holi, The Colour Festival? The Huffington Post Canada ADVERTISEMENT Getty Images With the arrival of spring comes pretty colours. And India explodes with them for Holi , a Hindu spring festival that takes place on March 17 in 2014. Holi celebrations begin the day before, when followers burn an effigy of the mythical demoness Holika, who tried to kill Prahlad, a devotee of the Hindu Supreme God Narayana. Burning her symbolizes the triumph of good over evil.

The festival kicks into high gear the following day with the "play of colours," a tradition in which people spray coloured water on each other, and sing and dance to the beat of a dholak, a two-handed drum. Participants enjoy delicacies such as gujiya, malapua and mathri. Celebrants also drink bhang, a beverage whose cannabis contents can relieve anxiety and heighten enjoyment of the festival, though people are warned not to consume it to excess. Holi celebrations aren't restricted to India. The festival has spawned satellite events all over the world, including in the Toronto area, where event company Vibrant Milton Connections is putting on Rang 2014 , a Holi celebration at the Milton Memorial Arena on March 16 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 per person. Over on the west coast, the Vedic Hindu Cultural Society of B.C. is hosting a Holi celebration at the Lakshmi Narayan Mandir in Surrey on March 16 at 12 p.m. The event promises free food stalls and live entertainment. Holi hasn't just spawned events on the day itself.

It also inspired the creation of Color Me Rad , a five-kilometre fun run in which participants douse each other with coloured powder. Color Me Rad hits Edmonton on May 7; Montreal on May 18; Quebec CIty on May 24; Surrey, B.C. and Toronto on May 31; Kitchener/Waterloo on June 29; Winnipeg on July 19; Vancouver on Aug. 2; Gatineau on Aug. 24; Calgary on Aug. 28; Saskatoon on Sept. 6; and Regina on Sept. 14. Like this article? Follow our Facebook page Or follow us on Twitter Follow @HuffpostCaLiv Also on HuffPost: Holi Festival at Battersea Power Station, London of   Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station. Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station. Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station.

Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station. Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station. Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station. Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station. Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station. Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station. Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station.

Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station. Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station. Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station. Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station. Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station. Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station. Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station.

Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Performers on stage at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station. Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station. Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station. Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station. Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station. Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Performers on stage at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station. Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station.

Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station. Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station. Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Performers on stage at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station. Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station. Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station. Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station. Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station.

Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station. Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station. Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station. Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station. Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station. Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station. Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station.

Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station. Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station. Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station. Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station. Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station. Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station. Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station.

Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station. Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station. Editors Note: This photograph has had a filter applied in image manipulation software People throwing brightly coloured powder in the air during the Holi One Festival, at Battersea Power Station in London. People covered in a brightly coloured powder thrown in the air during the Holi One Festival, at Battersea Power Station in London. People covered in a brightly coloured powder thrown in the air during the Holi One Festival, at Battersea Power Station in London. People covered in a brightly coloured powder thrown in the air during the Holi One Festival, at Battersea Power Station in London. People covered in a brightly coloured powder thrown in the air during the Holi One Festival, at Battersea Power Station in London. People covered in a brightly coloured powder thrown in the air during the Holi One Festival, at Battersea Power Station in London.

People covered in a brightly coloured powder thrown in the air during the Holi One Festival, at Battersea Power Station in London. People covered in brightly coloured powder thrown in the air during the Holi One Festival, at Battersea Power Station in London.  Share BBC - Religions - Hinduism: Holi Religions Holi Last updated 2009-09-30 Holi is the spring festival associated with Krishna when people throw coloured powder and water at each other. Holi also celebrates creation and renewal. On this page Holi was originally a spring festival of fertility and harvest. Now it also marks some Hindu legends, which provide some of the ingredients for the celebrations. Holi is an ancient festival which is referred to in the 7th century Sanskrit drama, 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.

Ratnaval, 7th century drama The Legend of Prahalad and Holika This is the main Holi legend. Holika was a female demon, and the sister of Hiranyakashyap, the demon king. Hiranyakashyap considered himself ruler of the Universe, and higher than all the gods. Prahalad was the king's son. His father hated him because Prahalad was a faithful devotee of the god Vishnu . One day the king asked him "Who is the greatest, God or I?" "God is," said the son, "you are only a king." The king was furious and decided to murder his son. But the king's attempts at murder didn't work too well. Prahalad survived being thrown over a cliff, being trampled by elephants, bitten by snakes, and attacked by soldiers. So the king asked his sister, Holika, to kill the boy. Holika seized Prahalad and sat in the middle of a fire with the boy on her lap. Holika had been given a magic power by the gods that made her immune to fire, so she thought this was a pretty good plan, and Prahalad would burn to death while she remained cool.

But it's never wise to take gods' gifts for granted! Because Holika was using her gift to do something evil, her power vanished and she was burned to ashes. Prahalad stayed true to his God, Vishnu, and sat praying in the lap of his demon aunt. Vishnu protected him, and Prahalad survived. Shortly afterwards, Vishnu killed King Hiranyakashyap and Prahad ruled as a wise king in his father's place. Moral The moral of the story is that good always wins over evil, and those who seek to torment the faithful will be destroyed. To celebrate the story, large bonfires are burned during Holi. In many parts of India, a dummy of Holika is burned on the fire. The festival of colours A colourful celebration Holi is the Hindu festival that welcomes the Spring and celebrates the new life and energy of the season. Although Holi has religious roots, not much religious activity is involved in its celebration. A child enjoys Holi © Holi is the most energetic Indian festival, filled with fun and good humour; even the strict rules of separation between castes are abandoned.

Holi is also called 'The Festival of Colours', and people celebrate the festival by smearing each other with paint, and throwing coloured powder and dye around in an atmosphere of great good humour. Holi is seen by some as the Hindu festival that is nearest in spirit to St. Valentine's Day . Holi in Brief A spring festival, usually celebrated in March Holi also celebrates Krishna , and the legend of Holika and Prahalad Holi is particularly celebrated in North India Although Holi has religious roots there are few religious things to do Distinctions of caste, class, age, and gender are suspended during Holi A very exuberant festival, with dancing, singing, and throwing of paint Holi features gender rivalry, with contests between men and women, and public flirting Bonfires are lit during Holi, and food offerings are roasted The festival is officially celebrated on the day after full moon during the month of Phalunga, which falls in February-March During the evening of the full moon, bonfires are lit in the streets. These bonfires not only purify the air of evil spirits, but mark the story of Holika and Prahalad.

The next day, people of all ages go into the streets for jollifications and paint-throwing. You can get the feel of the modern festival by reading this report on Holi in Chandigarh: It was a sunny day, offering a perfect setting for the revellers. The festivities picked up around 10 a.m. with kids targeting passersby with their colour-filled 'gubaras' and 'pichkaris' from roof-tops and shouting 'Holi hai'. "Soon the entire city was dominated by 'youth brigades' zipping around on their jeeps, cars and mo-bikes, with loads of colour packed on their vehicles. Drenched in the 'Holi' spirit to the core, they spared none. Everyone coming in their way got a splash of colour either spewed by water-jets or from different shades of 'gulal'. ©Tribune India, 3 March 1999 Role reversal Holi is a time when traditional roles and levels of status in Indian society are turned upside down. In one part of India there is a tradition of men and women taking part in a mock battle, however one of the rules is that the men are not allowed to fight back.

Equality Holi is a festival enjoyed by all castes. © Holi is a great leveller. By the time everyone has been covered in paint and coloured water, it's pretty hard to see any of the normal clues as to who is what caste, or what class. And because no-one is likely to take designer clothes out for a soaking, there's not much chance of seeing who is rich and who is poor. Holi is a festival that's enjoyed by both high and low. Indian newspapers are likely to show pictures of ministers, even prime ministers, seriously splashed with paint. Don't Try This at Home During Holi celebrations in India it's possible to behave pretty outrageously. You can throw paint at strangers, soak your friends with coloured water while saying "don't feel offended, it's Holi", and, unless you're very unlucky, no-one will be upset. (But don't try this outside India!) The Messiest Festival Holi is messy, there is no getting around that. People throw powder paint (called "gulal") at each other (yes, even at complete strangers) and no-one seems to mind. The air is often bright with clouds of coloured powder.

Gold and Silver used to be popular colours with young women, but are currently unfashionable. Pichkaris The more gadget-minded fill water pistols or long syringes (called pichkaris) with coloured water for distance squirting. Balloons and folded paper water bombs full of coloured water are another useful weapon of fun. Tesu Holi colours used to be made from the flowers of the 'tesu' tree. These would be gathered from the trees, dried in the sun, and then ground up. When this powder was mixed with water it produced an orange-red coloured fluid. Gulal Gulal is powdered colour, and Indian streets are bright with stalls selling powders of different colours for days before the festival. Abeer Abeer (small crystals of mica) is used to make sparkly colours. Because of health fears (see below), natural colours such as mehndi, haldi, besan and maida have become popular again. Health Warnings In the last few years there has been much concern about gulal and abeer being mixed with dangerous material, and people becoming ill, or even blind as a result of using it.

Small bits of mica (chamkili) are used to give the 'gulal' a shine. When smeared on the face, mica and colour powder might get into the eyes and affect the cornea leading to abrasions and loss of sight. Dr Rajvardhan Azad, National Society for the Prevention of Blindnesn, India Another expert warned: "Many Holi colours sold in the market are oxidized metals or industrial dyes mixed with engine oil and can have dangerous effects on the skin and eyes". Holi - Hindu Festival of Colours You are here : home > Indian Culture > Indian Festivals and occassions > Holi - Hindu Festival of Colours Holi - Hindu Festival of Colours Holi is festival of colours and fun. Though celebration of Holi festival has religious significance, this festival brings people together and helps them forget the bitterness in relationships and improve the bonds. Holi festival is not only celebrated by Hindus but also by the people of other religions. Read on to find about the significance and celebration of Holi festival. Holi is a Hindu festival and is played with colours .

This festival is complete merry making and enjoying and is celebrated immediately after the full moon day of the Phalguna month of Hindu calendar. Holi cannot be categorised under religious festivals because people are found disregarding social norms and they are excused as people think and say, "Do not mind, it is Holi" or in typical Hindi they say "Bura Na Mano Holi Hai" Religious Aspect of Holi Festival Although there is not much religious conviction involved, there is a story behind the history of Holi which indicates and proves the victory of good over evil. There was a king named Hiranyakashyapu who had a son named Prahlad. Prahlad used to worship Lord Vishnu and his father forbids him to do that. But Prahlad continued praying to the Lord and did not pay any heed to his father's orders. The king put him with his sister in the fire with an intention to burn Prahlad, as his sister Holika had a boon form Fire God and she was not supposed to get burnt in fire. However, due to the prayers of Prahlad, he came out safe and Holika got burnt in fire.

People burn evil in the name of 'Holika Dahan' a night before they play Holi. Festival of Holi is also related to Lord Krishna playing with Radha and Gopis. Even today, Holi is played for more than one day in Mathura and Vrindavan. Social Aspect of Holi Festival People celebrate Holi so that they forget all their grievances and accusations against each other. There are social events organised by different groups and people participate just to show their social involvements. Women usually were forced to stay indoors and did not have much freedom in normal days. They waited for festivals especially Holi to have some relaxed rules and enjoy a little bit of freedom in their lives. Holi is celebrated to welcome the spring season and bid good bye to winter. Holi binds all people of India together. Even the Indians who are living in other countries play Holi and relive the wonderful and merrymaking moments. Holi Celebration There are no such traditions and customs involved. You will find different and typical food items and sweets in everyone's house. Children are eager to start playing with water and colour right from the time they get up.

This is because they have the liberty to splash and play with water and in water that day. Men and women are usually found in their groups enjoying applying colours and exchanging good wishes and sweets that day. People visit each other's homes in the evening. In some places, parties are organised and people gather there. Nowadays, with the advent of internet, people send gifts to their far off friends or relatives to show their love and concern. You will find plenty of gift ideas and items with popular online gift stores. Holi is celebrated in distinct style in Udaipur, Mathura and Vrindavan in India. No matter to which part of India, specially North India, you visit you will find friendship and unity all over. In many places people of all religion participate with equal enthusiasm and passion. Holi is a great festival because it bridges the gaps between people and brings them together. It is called Phagwa in Bihar and it features Dolayatra in Bengal which means swing festival. Everywhere it is the time to rejoice and people enjoy merrymaking with music and dance.

You may also be interested in: Holi - Hindu Festival of Colors: Legends & Myths Holi - Hindu Festival of Colors Legends & Myths Sign Up for Our Free Newsletters Thanks, You're in! Health Tip of the Day Recipe of the Day There was an error. Please try again. Please select a newsletter. Please enter a valid email address. Did you mean ? < Continued from page 1 Updated October 25, 2015. Like all Indian and Hindu festivals, Holi is inextricably linked to mythical tales. There are at least three legends that are directly associated with the festival of colors : the Holika-Hiranyakashipu-Prahlad episode, Lord Shiva's killing of Kamadeva, and the story of the ogress Dhundhi. The Holika-Prahlad Episode The evolution of the term Holi makes an interesting study in itself. Legend has it that it derives its name from Holika, the sister of the mythical megalomaniac king Hiranyakashipu who commanded everyone to worship him. But his little son Prahlad refused to do so. Instead he became a devotee of Vishnu, the Hindu God.

Hiranyakashipu ordered his sister Holika to kill Prahlad and she, possessing the power to walk through fire unharmed, picked up the child and walked into a fire with him. Prahlad, however, chanted the names of God and was saved from the fire. Holika perished because she did not know that her powers were only effective if she entered the fire alone. This myth has a strong association with the festival of Holi, and even today there is a practice of hurling cow dung into the fire and shouting obscenities at it, as if at Holika. The Story of Dhundhi It was also on this day that an ogress called Dhundhi, who was troubling the children in the kingdom of Prthu was chased away by the shouts and pranks of village youngsters. Although this female monster had secured several boons that made her almost invincible, shouts, abuses and pranks of boys was a chink in the armor for Dhundi, owing to a curse from Lord Shiva. The Kamadeva Myth It is often believed that it was on this day that Lord Shiva opened his third eye and incinerated Kamadeva, the god of love, to death.

So, many people worship Kamadeva on Holi-day, with the simple offering of a mixture of mango blossoms and sandalwood paste. Radha-Krishna Legend Holi is also celebrated in memory of the immortal love of Lord Krishna and Radha. The young Krishna would complain to his mother Yashoda about why Radha was so fair and he so dark. Yashoda advised him to apply colour on Radha's face and see how her complexion would change. In the legends of Krishna as a youth he is depicted playing all sorts of pranks with the gopis or cowgirls. One prank was to throw colored powder all over them. So at Holi, images of Krishna and his consort Radha are often carried through the streets. Holi is celebrated with eclat in the villages around Mathura, the birth-place of Krishna. Holi, Hindu Festival of Colors Daniel Berehulak / Staff/Getty Images News/Getty Images Updated October 25, 2015. Holi - the festival of colors - is undoubtedly the most fun-filled and boisterous of Hindu festival.

It's an occasion that brings in unadulterated joy and mirth, fun and play, music and dance, and, of course, lots of bright colors! Happy Days Are Here Again! With winter neatly tucked up in the attic, it's time to come out of our cocoons and enjoy this spring festival. Every year it is celebrated on the day after the full moon in early March and glorifies good harvest and fertility of the land. It is also time for spring harvest. The new crop refills the stores in every household and perhaps such abundance accounts for the riotous merriment during Holi. This also explains the other names of this celebration - 'Vasant Mahotsava' and 'Kama Mahotsava'. "Don't Mind, It's Holi!" During Holi, practices, which at other times could be offensive, are allowed. Squirting colored water on passers-by, dunking friends in mud pool amidst teasing and laughter, getting intoxicated on bhaang and reveling with companions is perfectly acceptable.

In fact, on the days of Holi, you can get away with almost anything by saying, "Don't mind, it's Holi!" (Hindi = Bura na mano, Holi hai.) The Festive License! Women, especially, enjoy the freedom of relaxed rules and sometimes join in the merriment rather aggressively. There is also much vulgar behavior connected with phallic themes. It is a time when pollution is not important, a time for license and obscenity in place of the usual societal and caste restrictions. In a way, Holi is a means for the people to ventilate their 'latent heat' and experience strange physical relaxations. Prev Holi 2014: Festival Of Colors Celebrates Spring (SONGS, PHOTOS) | The Huffington Post Holi 2014: Festival Of Colors Celebrates Spring (SONGS, PHOTOS) 03/16/2014 08:41 am ET | Updated Mar 16, 2014 1.5k Holi (also known as Dol Jatra, Basantotsav) is the Hindu festival of colors .

It is celebrated at the end of the winter season, on the last full moon day of the lunar month Phalguna. In 2014, Holi will be celebrated on March 17. Holi Celebrations Around The World 2014 Holi Celebrations Around The World 2014 1 34 INDIA-RELIGION-FESTIVAL-HOLI Students of English and Foreign Languages University(EFL)pose during Holi celebrations in Hyderabad on March 17, 2014. Holi, also called the Festival of Colours, is a popular Hindu spring festival observed in India at the end of the winter season on the last full moon day of the lunar month. AFP PHOTO/Noah SEELAM (Photo credit should read NOAH SEELAM/AFP/Getty Images) Share this slide: Getty Images [ Scroll down to listen to Holi songs] Holi is observed with great fanfare by Hindus all over the world. Holi celebrations begin on the eve of the festival with bonfires and prayers. On the day of Holi, people throw colored powder and liquids at each other.

A common greeting during this time is, "Happy Holi." Holi celebrations are particularly riotous in India as social rules are relaxed. Colored water is squirted on passers-by, and people are dunked into muddy water. Many people consume bhang , an intoxicating drink made from the female cannabis plant. Social barriers are broken as people of all ages, genders, castes, and wealth gather together and celebrate the festival. In fact, it is said that one can get away with almost any kind of behavior on the day of Holi by saying "bura na mano holi hai," or, "don't mind, it is Holi." In addition to the boisterous nature of the festival, this is a time for family members to get together, give gifts, eat special foods and decorate their homes. Overall, this is one of the most spirited and beloved festivals of the Hindu calendar. The celebration of Holi is recounted in Hindu sacred texts and stories that have passed from generation to generation. Holi commemorates the miraculous story of Prahlada , a young boy and a devoted follower o thef Hindu god Vishnu. According to Hindu texts, Prahlada was born to Hiranyakashipu, the king of demons.

Unable to tolerate Prahlada's devotion to Lord Vishnu, Hiranyakashipu attempted to kill his son several times by poisoning him, throwing him from the top of a mountain, etc. but failed each time. Finally, he ordered his son to sit on a pyre on the lap of his demoness sister, Holika, who was protected from fire burning her. Prahlada accepted his father's command and survived unharmed from the fire while Holika burned to death. The burning of Holika gave rise to the tradition of lighting bonfires on Holi eve. Holi also celebrates the immortal love of the divine couple, Radha and Krishna . And Holi immortalizes the story of Kama , the Hindu god of love, his incineration to death by Lord Shiva, restoration and his love and sacrifice for all. These are three of the most popular stories, and as with most Hindu festivals, the stories vary slightly in different parts of India. Holi Songs BBC - Schools - Religion - Hinduism Religion Holi is a festival celebrated in north India. It marks the coming of Spring, usually in March.

Celebrations Some families hold religious ceremonies, but for many Holi is more a time for fun than religious observance. Holi is a colourful festival, with dancing, singing, and throwing of powder paint and coloured water. Bonfires are lit and roasting grains, pop corn, coconut and chick peas are thrown on by Hindu families The next day, people of all ages go into the streets for fun and paint-throwing. Everyone gets involved - with no distinctions between caste, class, age or gender. Hindus have fun by smearing each other with paint and throwing coloured water at each other, all done in a spirit of celebration Religious story Holi also celebrates Krishna, and the legend of Holika and Prahlad. Some believe the origin of the festival lies with Krishna who was very mischievous as a young boy and threw coloured water over the gopis (milkmaids) This developed into the practical jokes and games of Holi. The story of Prahlad is seen to symbolise good overcoming evil and is why traditionally bonfires are lit at Holi. Prahlad was a prince. His father, the king wanted everyone in his kingdom to worship him. But Prahlad refused and worshipped Lord Vishnu instead.

The king's sister Holika, who was supposed to be immune to fire, tricked her nephew Prahlad into sitting on her lap in a bonfire in order to destroy him. But because she was using her powers for evil, the plan failed and Prahlad emerged from the fire unharmed, while Holika was devoured by the flames. In some parts of India effigies of Holika are burnt on the fire. Ashes from Holi bonfires are thought to bring good luck.

Question: In Hinduism what name is given to the festival of Colour or Colours?
Answer: Holi