TheHindu calendar is lunisolar but most festival dates are specified using the lunar portion of the calendar. A lunar day is uniquely identified by three calendar elements:māsa (lunar month),pakṣa (lunar fortnight) andtithi (lunar day).
Furthermore, when specifying the masa, one of two traditions are applicable, viz.amānta /pūrṇimānta. If a festival falls in the waning phase of the moon, these two traditions identify the same lunar day as falling in two different (but successive) masa.
A lunar year is shorter than a solar year by about eleven days. As a result, most Hindu festivals occur on different days in successive years on the Gregorian calendar.
Holi also celebrates the arrival ofspring in India, the end of winter, and the blossoming of love.[16][23] It is also an invocation for a good springharvest season.[16][23] It lasts for a night and a day, starting on the evening of thePurnima (full moon day) falling on theHindu calendar month ofPhalguna, which falls around the middle of March in theGregorian calendar.
The main day of the celebration is known as "Holi", "Rangwali Holi", "Dola Purnima", "Dhuleti", "Dhulandi",[24] "Ukuli", "Manjal Kuli",[25] "Yaosang", "Shigmo",[26] "Phagwah",[27] or "Jajiri".[28]
Holi is a sacred ancienttradition of Hindus, a holiday in many states of India with regional holidays in other countries. It is a cultural celebration that gives Hindus and non-Hindus alike an opportunity to have fun and play with other people by throwing coloured water and powder at each other. It is also observed broadly on theIndian subcontinent. Holi is celebrated at the end of winter, on the lastfull moon day of the Hindu luni-solar calendar month, marking the spring, making the date vary with the lunar cycle.[note 1] The date falls typically in March, but sometimes in late February of the Gregorian calendar.[31][32]
The festival has many purposes; most prominently, it celebrates the beginning of spring. In 17th century literature, it was identified as a festival that celebrated agriculture, commemorated good spring harvests, and the fertile land.[16] Hindus believe it is a time to enjoying spring's abundant colours and say farewell to winter. To many Hindus, Holi festivities mark an occasion to reset and renew rupturedrelationships, end conflicts, and rid themselves of accumulated emotional impurities from the past.[23][33]
It also has areligious purpose, symbolically signified by the legend of Holika. The night before Holi, bonfires are lit in a ceremony known as Holika Dahan (burning ofHolika), or Little Holi. People gather near the fires, sing, and dance. The next day, Holi, also known asDhuli in Sanskrit, orDhulheti,Dhulandi, orDhulendi, is celebrated.[34]
In the northern parts of India, children spray coloured powder solutions (gulal) at each other, laugh, and celebrate, while adults smear dry coloured powder (abir) on each other's faces.[5][33] Visitors to homes are first teased with colours, then served with Holi delicacies (such asgujhia, shakkarpaare, matri, anddahi vada), desserts, and drinks.[35][36][37] After playing with colours and cleaning up, people bathe, put on clean clothes, and visit friends and family.[23]
Like Holika Dahan,Kama Dahanam is celebrated in some parts ofIndia. The festival of colours in these parts is calledRangapanchami, and occurs on the fifth day afterPoornima (full moon).[38]
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The Holi festival is an ancient Hindu festival with its own cultural rituals, which emerged before theGupta period.[8] The festival of colours finds mentioned in numerous scriptures, such as in works likeJaimini'sPurva Mimamsa Sutras andKathaka-Grhya-Sutras, with even more detailed descriptions in ancient texts like theNarada Purana andBhavishya Purana. The festival of"holikotsav" was also mentioned in the 7th-century work,Ratnavali, byKing Harsha.[39] It is mentioned in thePuranas,Dasakumara Charita byDaṇḍin, and by the poetKālidāsa during the 4th-century reign ofChandragupta II.[8]
The celebration of Holi is also mentioned in the 7th-century Sanskrit dramaRatnavali.[40] The festival of Holi caught the fascination of European traders and British colonial staff by the 17th century. Various old editions of the Oxford English Dictionary mention it, but with varying, phonetically derived spellings:Houly (1687),Hooly (1698),Huli (1789),Hohlee (1809),Hoolee (1825), andHoli in editions published after 1910.[16]
In theBraj region of India, where the Hindu deitiesRadha andKrishna grew up, the festival is celebrated untilRang Panchmi in commemoration of their divine love for each other. The festivities officially usher in spring, with Holi celebrated as a festival of love.[10][41]Garga Samhita, a puranic work by SageGarga was the first work of literature to mention the romantic description of Radha and Krishna playing Holi.[42]
There is also a symbolic legend behind the festival. In his youth, Krishna despairs whether the fair-skinned Radha will like him because of his dark skin colour. His motherYashoda, tires of his desperation and asks him to approach Radha and ask her to colour his face in any colour she wishes. This Radha does, and Radha and Krishna become a couple. Ever since, the playful colouring of Radha and Krishna's faces has been commemorated as Holi.[11][43]
LordNarasimha emerging from a pillar and disembowellingHiranyakashipu, with Prahlada on the left, manuscript folio from a Bhagavata Purana, 1760–1770
There is a symbolic legend found in the 7th chapter of theBhagavata Purana[14][15] explaining why Holi is celebrated as a festival of triumph of good over evil in the honour of Hindu godVishnu and his devoteePrahlada. KingHiranyakashipu, the father of Prahlada, was the king of demonicAsuras and had earned aboon that gave him five special powers: he could be killed by neither a human being nor an animal, neither indoors nor outdoors, neither at day nor at night, neither byastra (projectile weapons) nor by anyshastra (handheld weapons), and neither on land nor in water or air. Hiranyakashipu grew arrogant, thought he was God, and demanded that everyone worship only him.[5]Hiranyakashipu's own son,Prahlada, however, remained devoted toVishnu.[47] This infuriated Hiranyakashipu. He subjected Prahlada to cruel punishments, none of which affected the boy or his resolve to do what he thought was right. Finally, Holika, Prahlada's evil aunt, tricked him into sitting on apyre with her.[5] Holika was wearing acloak that made her immune to injury from fire, while Prahlada was not. As the fire spread, the cloak flew from Holika and encased Prahlada,[47] who survived while Holika burned. Vishnu, the god who appears as anavatar to restoreDharma in Hindu beliefs, took the form ofNarasimha – half human and half lion (which is neither a human nor an animal), at dusk (when it was neither day nor night), took Hiranyakashyapu at a doorstep (which was neither indoors nor outdoors), placed him on his lap (which was neither land, water nor air), and then eviscerated and killed the king with his lion claws (which were neither a handheld weapon nor a launched weapon).[48]
The Holika bonfire and Holi signifies the celebration of the symbolic victory of good over evil, of Prahlada over Hiranyakashipu, and of the fire that burnedHolika.[23]
Among other Hindu traditions such asShaivism andShaktism, the legendary significance of Holi is linked toShiva inyoga and deep meditation. GoddessParvati wanting to bring Shiva back into the world, seeks help from the Hindu god of love calledKamadeva onVasant Panchami. The love god shoots arrows at Shiva, the yogi opens his third eye and burns Kama to ashes. This upsets both Kama's wifeRati (Kamadevi) and his own wifeParvati.Rati performs her own meditative asceticism for forty days, upon which Shiva understands, forgives out of compassion and restores the god of love. This return of the god of love, is celebrated on the 40th day after the Vasant Panchami festival as Holi.[49][50] The Kama legend and its significance to Holi has many variant forms, particularly inSouth India.[51]
Holika bonfire in front of Jagdish Temple inUdaipur,Rajasthan, 2010
The Holi festival has a cultural significance among various Hindu traditions of the Indian subcontinent. It is the festive day to end and rid oneself of past errors, to end conflicts by meeting others, a day to forget and forgive. People pay or forgive debts, as well as deal anew with those in their lives. Holi also marks the start of spring, an occasion for people to enjoy the changing seasons and make new friends.[23][33]
Outside India, Holi is observed by Hindus inNepal,Bangladesh andPakistan as well as in countries with largediaspora populations from India around the world. The Holi rituals and customs can vary with local adaptations.
The festival has traditionally been also observed by non-Hindus, such as bySikhs, Jains[2] andNewars (Nepal).[3]
InMughal India, Holi was celebrated with such exuberance that people of all castes could throw colour on the Emperor.[52] According to Sharma (2017), "there are several paintings of Mughal emperors celebrating Holi".[53] Grand celebrations of Holi were held at theLal Qila, where the festival was also known asEid-e-gulaabi orAab-e-Pashi.Mehfils were held throughout the walled city of Delhi with aristocrats and traders alike participating. This changed during the rule of EmperorAurangzeb. He banned the public celebration of Holi using aFarman issue in November 1665.[54] However, the celebration were later restarted after the death of Emperor Aurangzeb.Bahadur Shah Zafar himself wrote a song for the festival, while poets such asAmir Khusrau,Ibrahim Raskhan,Nazeer Akbarabadi and Mehjoor Lakhnavi relished it in their writings.[52]
Sikhs have traditionally celebrated the festival, at least through the 19th century,[55] with its historic texts referring to it asHola.[56]Guru Gobind Singh – the last human guru of the Sikhs – modified Holi with a three-dayHola Mohalla extension festival of martial arts. The extension started the day after the Holi festival inAnandpur Sahib, where Sikh soldiers would train in mock battles, compete in horsemanship, athletics, archery and military exercises.[57][58][59]
Holi was observed byMaharaja Ranjit Singh and his Sikh Empire that extended across what are now northern parts of India and Pakistan. According to a report by Tribune India, Sikh court records state that 300 mounds of colours were used in 1837 by Ranjit Singh and his officials inLahore. Ranjit Singh would celebrate Holi with others in the Bilawal gardens, where decorative tents were set up. In 1837, SirHenry Fane who was the commander-in-chief of theBritish Indian army joined the Holi celebrations organised by Ranjit Singh. A mural in the Lahore Fort was sponsored by Ranjit Singh and it showed the Hindu god Krishna playing Holi withgopis. After the death of Ranjit Singh, his Sikh sons and others continued to play Holi every year with colours and lavish festivities. The colonial British officials joined these celebrations.[60]
The night before Holi is calledHolika Dahan or "Chhoti Holi" whereby people gather around a lit bonfire, symbolising the victory of good over evil as well as the removal of the old and arrival of the new. Various rituals are performed around the fire such as singing and dancing.[23] This ritual is derived from the story ofHolika, who attempted to kill Prahlada, the son ofHiranyakashipu, through the flames of a bonfire. Although Holika was endowed with a boon to remain immune to fire, she was burned to ashes, while Prahlada remained unharmed.[61][62]
The next morning is celebrated as Rangwali Holi (Dhuleti) where people smear and drench each other with colours. Water guns and water-filled balloons are often used to play and colour each other, with anyone and any place being considered fair game to colour. Groups often carry drums and other musical instruments going from place to place, singing and dancing. Throughout the day, people visit family, and friends and foes come together to chat, enjoy food and drinks, and partake in Holi delicacies.[47][35][63] Holi is also a festival of forgiveness and new starts, which ritually aims to generate harmony in society.[63] Many cities in Uttar Pradesh also organiseKavi sammelan in the evening.
Groups sing and dance, some playing drums anddholak. After each stop of fun and play with colours, people offergujiya,mathri,malpuas and other traditional delicacies.[64] Cold drinks, including drinks made with marijuana, are also part of the Holi festivity.[65]
Holi is known asPhaguwa orFagua in theBhojpuri language. In this region as well, the legend of Holika is prevalent. On the eve of Phalgun Poornima, people light bonfires. They put dried cow dung cakes, wood of the Araad or Redi tree and Holika tree, grains from the fresh harvest and unwanted wood leaves in the bonfire. At the time of Holika people assemble near the pyre. The eldest member of the gathering or apurohit initiates the lighting. He then smears others with colour as a mark of greeting. Next day the festival is celebrated with colours and much frolic. Traditionally, people also clean their houses to mark the festival.[66]
Holi Milan is also observed inBihar, where family members and well-wishers visit each other's family, apply colours (abeer) on each other's faces, and on feet, if elderly. Usually, this takes place on the evening of Holi, day after Holi with wet colours is played in the morning through the afternoon. Due to large-scale internal migration issues faced by the people, recently, this tradition has slowly begun to transform, and it is common to have Holi Milan on an entirely different day either before or after the actual day of Holi.[67]
Children and youths take extreme delight in the festival. Though the festival is usually celebrated with colours, in some places, people also enjoy celebrating Holi with water solutions of mud or clay. Folk songs are sung at high pitch and people dance to the sound of thedholak (a two-headed hand-drum) and the spirit of Holi. Intoxicatingbhang, made fromcannabis, milk and spices, is consumed with a variety of mouth-watering delicacies, such aspakoras andthandai, to enhance the mood of the festival.[68]
In theKanpur, Holi lasts for seven days. On the last day, a fair calledGanga Mela or theHoli Mela is celebrated. The fair was started by freedom fighters who fought British rule.[69]
InGorakhpur district of Uttar Pradesh, a special event called "Holi Milan" is celebrated.[70]
Holi is locally called Ukkuli inKonkani. It is celebrated around the Konkani temple called Gosripuram temple. It is a part of theGoan or Konkani spring festival known asŚigmo or शिगमो inKoṅkaṇī orŚiśirotsava, which lasts for about a month. The colour festival or Holi is a part of longer, more extensive spring festival celebrations.[71] Holi festivities (but not Śigmo festivities) include:Holika Puja andDahan,Dhulvad orDhuli vandan,Haldune or offering yellow and saffron colour orGulal to the deity.[72]
InGujarat, Holi is a two-day festival. On the evening of the first day, a bonfire is lit and raw coconut and corn is offered to the fire. The second day is the festival of colour or "Dhuleti", celebrated by sprinkling coloured water and applying colours to each other.Dwarka, a coastal city of Gujarat, celebrates Holi at theDwarkadhish temple with citywide music festivities.[citation needed] Holi marks the agricultural season of therabi crop.
In some places, there is a custom in undivided Hindu families that the woman beats her brother-in-law with a sari rolled up into a rope in a mock rage and tries to drench him with colours, and in turn, the brother-in-law brings sweets (Indian desserts) to her in the evening.[73]
InJammu and Kashmir, Holi celebrations are much in line with the general definition of Holi celebrations: a high-spirited festival to mark the beginning of the harvesting of the summer crop, with the throwing of coloured water and powder and singing and dancing.[74]
Holi celebration depicted on stone relief 15th century, KarnatakaChildren playing holi, Karnataka
Traditionally, in ruralKarnataka, children collect money and wood in the weeks prior to Holi, and on "Kamadahana" night, all the wood is put together and lit. The festival is celebrated for two days. People in northern parts of Karnataka prepare special food on this day. Holi festival is also depicted on medieval reliefs and sculptures, notably on 12th century Chennakesava temple in Belur and 15th century relief from Hampi, where people are depicted playing holi with colours andpichkaris.[75]
InSirsi, Karnataka, Holi is celebrated with a unique folk dance called "Bedara Vesha", which is performed during the nights beginning five days before the actual festival day. The festival is celebrated every alternate year in the town, which attracts a large number of tourists from different parts of India.[76]
Wooden idols of Kamanna and Rati are put on public display and taken on parade in some parts of Karnataka.[77] Large idols of Kama made of bamboo are burnt afterHoli Hunnime festival in northern Karnataka.[78][79] Ramalinga Kamanna Utsava is a unique festival celebrated in Navalgund, Karnataka, during Holi. The festivities center around the installation of an idol of Kamanna, representing Kamadeva (the god of love), at the Ramalingeshwara Temple. Devotees from various regions gather to offer silver articles, such as cradles for those desiring children, believing their wishes will be fulfilled.[80]
In Konkan region ofMaharashtra, Holi season is also celebrated as Shimga or shimgo, festivities that lasts for almost a month. A week before the festival, youngsters go around the community, collecting firewood and money. On the day of holi, the firewood is heaped into a huge pile in each neighbourhood. In the evening, the fire is lit. Every household brings a meal and dessert, in the honour of the fire god.Puran Poli is the main delicacy and children shout "Holi re Holi puranachi poli". Shimga celebrates the elimination of all evil. The colour celebrations here take place on the day ofRang Panchami, five days after main day of holi.[31] During this festival, people are supposed to forget and forgive any rivalries and start new healthy relations with all.
Manipuris celebrate Holi for 6 days. Here, this holiday merges with the festival ofYaosang. Traditionally, the festival commences with the burning of a thatched hut of hay and twigs.[31] Young children go from house to house to collect money, locally known asnakadeng (ornakatheng), as gifts on the first two days. The youths at night perform a group folk dance calledThabal chongba on the full moon night of Lamta (Phalgun), traditionally accompanied by folk songs and rhythmic beats of the indigenous drum, but nowadays by modern bands andfluorescent lamps.[31][81] In Krishna temples, devotees sing devotional songs, perform dances and celebrate withaber (gulal) wearing traditional white and yellow turbans. On the last day of the festival, large processions are taken out to the main Krishna temple nearImphal where several cultural activities are held. In recent decades,Yaosang, a type of Indian sport, has become common in many places of the valley, where people of all ages come out to participate in a number of sports that are somewhat altered for the holiday.
An 1822 drawing showing elevation of a black stone arch inPuri, Odisha. It carriedVaishnavite gods and goddess, the ritual noted to be a part of the Holi festival.[82]
The people ofOdisha celebrateDola orPushpadola (Dola Jatra purnima) on the day of Holi where the icons ofJagannath replace the icons of Krishna and Radha.[83] Dola Melana, processions of the deities are celebrated in villages andbhoga is offered to the deities. "Dola yatra" was prevalent even before 1560 much before Holi was started where the idols ofJagannath,Balabhadra andSubhadra used to be taken to the "Dolamandapa" (podium inJagannath temple).[84] People used to offer natural colours known as "abira" to the deities and apply on each other's feats.[85]
InPunjab, the eight days preceding Holi are known as luhatak.[86] Sekhon (2000) states that people start throwing colours many days before Holi.[87]
Holi is preceded byHolika Dahan the night before when a fire is lit. Historically, the Lubana community of Punjab celebrated holi "with great pomp and show. The Lubanas buried a pice and betel nut. They heaped up cow-dung cakes over the spot and made a large fire. When the fire had burnt out, they proceeded to hunt for the pice and betel-nut. Whosoever found these, was considered very lucky."[88] Elsewhere in Punjab, Holi was also associated with making fools of others. Bose writing in Cultural Anthropology: And Other Essays in 1929 noted that "the custom of playing Holi-fools is prevalent in Punjab".[89]
On the day of Holi, people engage in throwing colours[90] on each other.[91] For locals, Holi marks the end of winter. The Punjabi sayingPhaggan phal laggan (Phagun is the month for fructifying) exemplifies the seasonal aspect of Holi. Trees and plants start blossoming from the day of Basant and start bearing fruit by Holi.[92]
During Holi inPunjab, walls and courtyards of rural houses are enhanced with drawings and paintings similar torangoli in South India,mandana in Rajasthan, and rural arts in other parts of India. This art is known aschowk-poorana orchowkpurana in Punjab and is given shape by the peasant women of the state. In courtyards, this art is drawn using a piece of cloth. The art includes drawing tree motifs, flowers, ferns, creepers, plants, peacocks, palanquins, geometric patterns along with vertical, horizontal and oblique lines. These arts add to the festive atmosphere.[93]
Folk theatrical performances known as swang or nautanki take place during Holi,[94] with the latter originating in the Punjab.[95] According to Self (1993), Holi fairs are held in the Punjab which may go on for many days.[96] Bose (1961) states that "in some parts of Punjab, Holi is celebrated with wrestling matches".[97]
Holi is called asKamuni Punnami/Kama Purnima orJajiri inTelugu. Hindus celebrate Holi as it relates to the legend ofKamadeva. Holi is also known by different names: Kamavilas, Kamuni Panduga and Kama-Dahanam.[98]
It is a 10-day festival in Telangana, of which last two days are of great importance. As in other parts of India, in ruralTelangana, the 9 days preceding Holi, children celebratekamuda by playingKolata sticks along with singing folk songs calledjajiri and collect money, rice, corn and wood.[28] For this reason Holi is well known for "Jajiri Paatalu Kamudi aatalu", which means festival of "Jajiri songs and Kamudi games" and on 9th night i.e. Holy eve, all the wood is put together and set on fire representingKama Dahanam.
Next morning i.e. 10th day is celebrated as Holi, with colours traditionally extracted from Moduga/Gogu Flowers (Palash/Butea monosperma).[99]
Kumaoni Holi inUttarakhand includes a musical affair. It takes different forms such as the Baithki Holi, the Khari Holi and the Mahila Holi. In Baithki Holi and Khari Holi, people sing songs with a touch of melody, fun, and spiritualism. These songs are essentially based on classicalragas. Baithki Holi (बैठकी होली), also known asNirvan Ki Holi, begins from the premises of temples, whereHoliyars (होल्यार) sing Holi songs and people gather to participate, along with playing classical music. The songs are sung in a particular sequence depending on the time of day; for instance, at noon the songs are based on Peelu, Bhimpalasi and Sarang ragas, while evening songs are based on the ragas such as Kalyan, Shyamkalyan and Yaman. TheKhari Holi (खड़ी होली) is mostly celebrated in the rural areas of Kumaon. The songs of the Khari Holi are sung by the people, who, sporting traditional whitechuridar payajama andkurta, dance in groups to the tune of ethnic musical instruments such as thedhol andhurka.[100]
In the Kumaon region, the Holika pyre, known asCheer (चीर), is ceremonially built in a ceremony known asCheer Bandhan (चीर बंधन) fifteen days before Dulhendi. TheCheer is a bonfire with a greenPaiya tree branch in the middle. TheCheer of every village and neighbourhood is rigorously guarded as rivalmohallas try to playfully steal each other'scheer.[101]
The colours used on Holi are derived from natural sources. Dulhendi, known asCharadi (छरड़ी) (fromChharad (छरड़)), is made from flower extracts, ash and water. Holi is celebrated with great gusto much in the same way all across North India.[102]
InWest Bengal, the tradition ofDol Jatra (meaningSwing procession) orDolotsava (meaningSwing Festival) orDol Purnima - (Swing Full Moon) is common amongGaudiya Vaishnavs[103] just like among Vaishnavs inBraj region and otherKrishna centric sampradays all over India.[56] However, several Bengali Vaishnava padavalis also use the term Holi (Bangla: হোলী) for the festival.[104]
Left:A view of theBasanta Utsab celebration held inJorasanko Thakurbari in 2016.Center:Basanta Utsav in Santiniketan, 2017.Right:Basanto Utsav Performers at the annual festival at Jorasanko Thakurbari in Kolkata.
In Shantiniketan, West Bengal, Holi is additionally also known as "Basanta Utsab". The festival is celebrated by worshipping the icons ofRadha and Krishna by placing them on a decorated swing.[105] On the Dol Purnima day in the early morning, students (mainly in Shantiniketan) dress up in saffron-coloured or pure white clothes and wear garlands of fragrant flowers. They sing and dance to the accompaniment of musical instruments, such as theektara, dubri, andveena. The devotees take turns to swing them while women dance around the swing and sing songs. During these activities, the people keep throwing coloured water and dry colours,abir, at them.[citation needed]
Around 500 years ago, SriChaitanya Mahaprabhu went toVrindavan in present-day Uttar Pradesh to witness the festival there at the birthplace of Lord Sri Krishna. After his return to Bengal, he thought of starting the festival here. So he asked his followers to smear color or abir to Lord Krishna's idol and then put that abir on each other. He also instructed them to give the other person a treat with a local sweet calledmalpoa. The biographies of Sri Chaitanya say that he was very fond of this sweet.[106]
Colour drenched devotees in Radha Krishna Temple,Mathura, India
In theBraj region of North India, women have the option to playfully hit men who save themselves with shields; for the day, men are culturally expected to accept whatever women dish out to them. This ritual is calledLath Mar Holi.[107]
A play of colours then a dance at a Hindu temple near Mathura, at Holi
Barsana, a town nearMathura in theBraj region ofUttar Pradesh, celebratesLathmar Holi in the sprawling compound of theRadha Rani Temple. Thousands gather to witness the Lath Mar Holi when women beat up men with sticks as those on the sidelines become hysterical, sing Holi songs and shout "Radhe Radhe" or "Sri Radhe Krishna".[108] The Holi songs of Braj Mandal are sung in pure Braj, the local language. Holi celebrated atBarsana is unique in the sense that here women chase men away with sticks. Males also sing provocative songs in a bid to invite the attention of women. Women then go on the offensive and use long staves calledlathis to beat the men, who protect themselves with shields.[109]
Mathura, in the Braj region, is the birthplace ofKrishna. InVrindavan this day is celebrated with specialpuja and the traditional custom of worshipping Radha Krishna; here the festival lasts for sixteen days.[41] All over the Braj region[110] and neighbouring places likeHathras,Aligarh, andAgra, Holi is celebrated in more or less the same way as in Mathura,Vrindavan and Barsana.
A traditional celebration includesMatki Phod, similar toDahi Handi in Maharashtra and Gujarat duringKrishna Janmashtami, both in the memory of god Krishna who is also calledmakhan chor (literally, butter thief). This is a historic tradition of the Braj region as well as the western region of India.[111] An earthen pot filled with butter or other milk products is hung high by a rope. Groups of boys and men climb on each other's shoulders to form pyramids to reach and break it, while girls and women sing songs and throw coloured water on the pyramid to distract them and make their job harder.[112] This ritual sport continues in Hindu diaspora communities.[113]
Holi, also known as Phagu Purnima, along with many other Hindu festivals, is celebrated in Nepal as anational festival. It is an important major Nepal-wide festival along withDashain andTihar (Dipawali).[114] It is celebrated in the Nepali month ofFalgun (Terai region celebrates on the same date as Indian Holi, while rest of the country celebrates it a day earlier), and signifies the legends of the Hindu god Krishna.[114] They worshipSaraswati shrine in Vajrayogini temples and celebrate the festival with their Hindu friends.[115]
People walk through their neighbourhoods to celebrate Holi by exchanging colours and spraying coloured water on one another. A popular activity is the throwing of water balloons at one another, sometimes calledlola (meaning water balloon).[116] Many people mixbhang (made fromcannabis, milk and spices) in their drinks and food, as is also done duringShivaratri. It is believed that the combination of different colours at this festival takes allsorrow away and makes life itself more colourful.
Holi is celebrated by theminority Hindu population in Pakistan. Community events by Hindus have been reported by Pakistani media in various cities such asKarachi,[117]Hazara,[118]Rawalpindi,Sindh,Hyderabad,Multan andLahore.[119] The Hindu tribes ofCholistan play the game called Khido in the days leading up to the Holi. The game Khido is considered sacred by them as it is believed that Parhlad used to play this game during his childhood.[120]
However, some cases have been reported where Hindus have been discriminated against and attacked while celebrating Holi in educational institutions.[121][122]
Holi was not a public holiday in Pakistan from 1947 to 2016. Holi along with Diwali for Hindus, and Easter for Christians, was adopted as public holiday resolution by Pakistan's parliament in 2016, giving the local governments and public institutions the right to declare Holi as a holiday and grant leave for its minority communities, for the first time.[123] This decision has been controversial, with some Pakistanis welcoming the decision, while others criticising it, with the concern that declaring Holi a public holiday advertises a Hindu festival to Pakistani children.[124]
Drummers of Indo-Caribbean community celebratingPhagwah (Holi) in New York City, 2013
A celebration of Holi Festival in the United States
Over the years, Holi has become an important festival in many regions whereverIndian diaspora were either taken asindentured labourers duringcolonial era, or where they emigrated on their own, and are now present in large numbers such as in Africa, North America, Europe, Latin America, and parts of Asia such as Fiji.[19][20][125][126]
Holi is a national holiday inSuriname. It is calledPhagwa festival, and is celebrated to mark the beginning of spring. In Suriname, Holi Phagwa is a festival of colour. It is customary to wear old white clothes on this day, be prepared to get them dirty and join in the colour throwing excitement and party.[127][128]
Phagwa is celebrated with much colour and splendour, along with the singing on traditional Phagwah songs such asChowtal and new songs such asPichakaree. It is celebrated throughout the country by people of all ethnicities and religions. Many Hindu schools get the day off as well. Holika Dahan is celebrated the night before Phagwah. ACastor plant is planted in a ceremonial manner along with the chanting ofmantras in honour of Holi, and is called a Holika. On this day, many temples in the Indo-Caribbean community also doPujas in honour ofRadha Krishna,Saraswati,Vishnu,Lakshmi, and the temples patron deity.
Phagwah is apublic holiday inGuyana, and peoples of all races and religions participate in the celebrations.[129] The main celebration inGeorgetown is held at the Mandir in Prashad Nagar.[130]
Indo-Fijians celebrate Holi orPagua as its called inFiji Hindi, as the festival of colours, folksongs, and dances. The folksongs sung inFiji during Holi season are calledphaag gaaian. Phagan, also written as Phalgan, is the last month of the Hindu calendar. Holi is celebrated on the full moon of Phagan. Holi marks the advent of spring and ripening of crops in Northern India. Not only it is a season of romance and excitement, folk songs and dances, it is also an occasion of playing with powder, perfumes, and colours. Many of the Holi songs in Fiji are around the theme of love-relationship between Radha and Krishna.[131]
Holi inMauritius comes close on the heels of Shivaratri. It celebrates the beginning of spring, commemorating good harvests and the fertile land. Hindus believe it is a time of enjoying spring's abundant colours and saying farewell to winter. It is considered one of the most exhilarating religious holidays in existence. During this event, participants hold a bonfire, throw coloured powder at each other, and celebrate wildly.[132]
Holi is celebrated in many US states by mainlySouth Asian Americans, particularly those withIndian ancestry. It is usually hosted in Hindu temples or cultural halls. Members of Hindu associations and volunteers assist in hosting the event along with temple devotees. Some of the places known to celebrate Holi areNew Brunswick (New Jersey),Spanish Fork (Utah),Houston (Texas),Dallas (Texas),South El Monte (California),Milpitas (California),Mountain House (California),Tracy (California),Lathrop (California),Chicago (Illinois),Potomac (Maryland),Tampa (Florida),Sterling (Virginia), andBoston (Massachusetts).[133] In 2025,Portland, Oregon partnered with DJ Prashant Kakad in celebrating its first-ever city sponsored Festival of Colors Holi event.[134][135]
The spring season, during which the weather changes, is believed to cause viral fever and cold. The playful throwing of natural coloured powders, calledgulal has a medicinal significance: the colours are traditionally made ofpalash,neem,kumkum,haldi,bilva, and other medicinal herbs suggested byĀyurvedic doctors.
Many colours are obtained by mixing primary colours. Artisans produce and sell many of the colours from natural sources in dry powder form, in weeks and months preceding Holi. Some of the traditional natural plant-based sources of colours are:[16][137][138]
Flowers ofDhak or Palash are used to make traditional colours.
The flowers ofpalash or tesu tree, also called the flame of the forest, are typical source of bright red and deep orange colours. Powdered fragrant redsandalwood, driedhibiscus flowers,madder tree,radish, andpomegranate are alternate sources and shades of red. Mixinglime withturmeric powder creates an alternate source of orange powder, as does boilingsaffron (kesar) in water.
Mehendi and dried leaves ofgulmohur tree offer a source of green colour. In some areas, the leaves of spring crops and herbs have been used as a source of green pigment.
Haldi (turmeric) powder is the typical source of yellow colour. Sometimes this is mixed withchickpea (gram) or other flour to get the right shade.Bael fruit,amaltas, species ofchrysanthemums, and species ofmarigold are alternate sources of yellow.
A 2007 study found thatmalachite green, a synthetic bluish-green dye used in some colours during Holi festival, was responsible for severe eye irritation in Delhi, if eyes were not washed upon exposure. Though the study found that the pigment did not penetrate through the cornea, malachite green is of concern and needs further study.[139]
Another 2009 study reports that some colours produced and sold in India contain metal-based industrial dyes, causing an increase in skin problems to some people in the days following Holi. These colours are produced in India, particularly by small informal businesses, without any quality checks and are sold freely in the market. The colours are sold without labelling, and the consumer lacks information about the source of the colours, their contents, and possible toxic effects. In recent years, several non-governmental organisations have started campaigning for safe practices related to the use of colours. Some are producing and marketing ranges of safer colours derived from natural sources such as vegetables and flowers.[140]
These reports have galvanised a number of groups into promoting more natural celebrations of Holi.Development Alternatives, Delhi's CLEAN India campaign,[141]Kalpavriksh Environment Action Group, Pune,[142] Society for Child Development through its Avacayam Cooperative Campaign[143] have launched campaigns to help children learn to make their own colours for Holi from safer, natural ingredients. Meanwhile, some commercial companies such as the National Botanical Research Institute have begun to market "herbal" dyes, though these are substantially more expensive than the dangerous alternatives. However, it may be noted that many parts of rural India have always resorted to natural colours (and other parts of festivities more than colours) due to availability.
In urban areas, some people wear nose masks and sunglasses to avoid inhaling pigments and to prevent chemical exposure to eyes.[144]
The use of heavy metal-based pigments during Holi is also reported to cause temporarywastewater pollution, with the water systems recovering to pre-festival levels within 5 days.[145]
A number of Holi-inspired social events have also surfaced, particularly in Europe and the United States, often organised by companies as for-profit or charity events with paid admission, and with varying scheduling that does not coincide with the actual Holi festival. These have included Holi-inspiredmusic festivals such as theFestival Of Colours Tour and Holi One[150] (which feature timed throws of Holi powder), and5K run franchises such asThe Color Run, Holi Run and Color Me Rad,[151] in which participants are doused with the powder at per-kilometre checkpoints.[152][18] TheBiH Color Festival is a Holi-inspiredelectronic music festival held annually inBrčko,Bosnia and Herzegovina.[153][154] In recent years, schools across Australia have also adopted Holi inspired fund raising activities which leverage fundraising platforms such as Australian Fundraising, School Fun Run, Colour Frenzy andGo Raise It Australia to conduct such events. New Zealand schools have also followed the trend with holi powder Colour Run fundraisers run by local companyGo Raise It NZ. Schools across the UK have also caught onto the trend and are now also starting to use companies likeGo Raise It UK to run their online sponsored colour runs as school fundraisers.
^Since ancient times, the Indian subcontinent has had several majorHindu calendars, which places Holi and other festivals on different local months even though they mean the same date. Some Hindu calendars emphasise the solar cycle, some the lunar cycle. Further, the regional calendars feature two traditions of Amanta and Purnimanta systems, wherein the similar-sounding months refer to different parts of a lunar cycle, thus further diversifying the nomenclature. The Hindu festival of Holi falls on the first (full moon) day ofChaitra lunar month's dark fortnight in the Purnimanta system, while the same exact day for Holi is expressed in Amanta system as the lunar day ofPhalguna Purnima.[29] Both time measuring and dating systems are equivalent ways of meaning the same thing, they continue to be in use in different regions.[29][30] In regions where the local calendar places it in itsPhalguna month, Holi is also calledPhaguwa.
^abLyford, Chris (5 April 2013)."Hindu spring festivals increase in popularity and welcome non-Hindus".The Washington Post. New York City. Retrieved23 February 2016.Despite what some call the reinvention of Holi, the simple fact that the festival has transcended cultures and brings people together is enough of a reason to embrace the change, others say. In fact, it seems to be in line with many of the teachings behind Holi festivals.
^abcdYudit Greenberg, Encyclopedia of Love in World Religions, Volume 1,ISBN978-1851099801, p. 212
^McKim Marriott (2006). John Stratton Hawley and Vasudha Narayanan (ed.).The Life of Hinduism. University of California Press. p. 102.ISBN978-0-520-24914-1., Quote: "Holi, he said with a beatific sigh, is the Festival of Love!"
^abcdefEbeling, Karin (10), Holi, an Indian Festival, and its Reflection in English Media; Die Ordnung des Standard und die Differenzierung der Diskurse: Akten des 41. Linguistischen Kolloquiums in Mannheim 2006, 1, 107,ISBN978-3631599174
^Holi in Mauritius. "Just as the many other major Hindu festivals, the large Indian majority.. celebrate Holi with a lot of enthusiasm in the island of Mauritius. It is an official holiday in the country..."
^abcConstance Jones, Holi, in J Gordon Melton (Editor), Religious Celebrations: An Encyclopedia of Holidays Festivals Solemn Observances and Spiritual Commemorations,ISBN978-1598842067
^Guṅe, Viṭhṭhala Triṃbaka (1979).Gazetteer of the Union Territory Goa, Daman and Diu: district. Vol. 1. Goa, Daman and Diu (India). Gazetteer Dept. p. 263.
^"Elevation of the black stone arch".V&A: Search the Collections. Victoria and Albert Museum. Retrieved10 April 2016.Object history note: The arch is covered with figures of Vaishnavite gods and hung with rings. A crowd of Hindus are celebrating the festival of the Dol Jatra or Swing festival in which the image of Vishnu and his consort are swung in a throne suspended by chains from the rings of the arch. The celebration is part of the Holi festival and takes place at the full moon of the month of Phalguna (February to March).
^How the public holiday on Holi underscores bigotry in Pakistan, Dawn, Sadia Khartoum (12 May 2016), Quote: "Today we are announcing a public holiday for Holi, tomorrow we will be telling everyone to read Ramayana!’” PSMA Chairman Sharafuz Zaman says(...) If someone wants to go play Holi, they can go ahead, Zaman goes on, but by declaring it a public holiday, we have advertised it in every home."
^Ghosh, S. K., Bandyopadhyay, D., Chatterjee, G., & Saha, D. (2009), The ‘Holi’ dermatoses: Annual spate of skin diseases following the spring festival in India.Indian journal of dermatology. 54(3), 240
^Tyagi, V. K., Bhatia, A., Gaur, R. Z., Khan, A. A., Ali, M., Khursheed, A., & Kazmi, A. A. (2012), Effects of multi-metal toxicity on the performance of sewage treatment system during the festival of colours (Holi) in India, Environmental monitoring and assessment, 184(12), pp. 7517–7529
^Muncy, C.S. (4 May 2014)."Portraits From Holi NYC".The Village Voice. New York City. Archived fromthe original on 1 August 2015. Retrieved23 February 2016.Holi Hai, also known as the Festival of Colors, celebrates the coming of spring, the joy of friendship, and equality for all. Held on Saturday, May 3, 2014 at the Yard @ C-PAC (Cultural Performing Arts Center) in Brooklyn, thousands of participants joined in to dance and generally cover each other in colored powder. The powders used in Holi represent happiness, love, and the freedom to live vibrantly.
^"Welcome to HOLI ONE".Holi One. Birmingham, England. Archived fromthe original on 30 October 2019. Retrieved21 October 2016.Thousands of people, dressed in white, come together to share in music, dance, performance art and visual stimulation. Holi One brings this unforgettable experience to cities all around the world.
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![In the Braj region of North India, women have the option to playfully hit men who save themselves with shields; for the day, men are culturally expected to accept whatever women dish out to them. This ritual is called Lath Mar Holi.[107]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aLath_Mar_Holi_at_Braj.jpg)
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