When we think of colors, one particular celebration comes to mind…Holi! Holi, or the Festival of Colors, is a Hindu holiday all about celebrating the triumph of good over evil, the lord Radha Krishna, and the coming of Spring. The word “Holi” is derived from the name of the goddess Holika, and is more commonly celebrated in North India. This tradition dates back to ancient times, and there are multiple stories and poems about this holiday's origin. This year, Holi will be celebrated on Wednesday, March 8th!
One common story behind this holiday is about an evil king who gained such immense power that he forced his subjects to worship him as their god. However, the king’s son Prahlada continued in being a devoted follower of the Hindu god Lord Vishnu. The enraged king planned to kill his son with Holika, his sister. Holika, who had fire resistance, lured Prahlada into joining her on a pyre. The festival's namesake Holika was burned to death, but Prahlada’s devotion to Lord Vishnu allowed him to survive unharmed. This motivational tale is one of the many reasons this holiday is celebrated.
Although this celebration is to honor the power of goodness, the main thing everyone looks forward to is the colored powders!
On the day of Holi, people gather out on the streets of India to throw colored powders (also called “gulal”) onto others. The colors range all the rainbow and each color represents a different virtue or moral. Colors are splashed around, laughs are abundant, and water fights are huge on this joyous occasion! Holi is an amazing time to rejoice with the ones around you, and just have some fun!
Running around trying to escape the blast of colors splashing onto your clothing reminds you of the happiness of childhood days. After the celebrations, families gather for dinner to dine on delicious, mouth-watering feasts, filled with varieties of sweets and desserts such as gulab juman, mysore pak, laddus, and prasadham (a sweet made as an offering to the gods). Some families visit the temple on Holi and come together to pray on this special day.
In America however, it’s a little harder to gather on the streets and celebrate this tradition. Most people tend to skip the colored powder, and just settle with a feast and a trip to the temple. Some people, however, wanting to honor the tradition behind this holiday may gather on a driveway and have a little fun with water balloons and colored powders! In a few small neighborhoods, people sometimes fill up the streets and truly enjoy the magicalness of the celebration, with color fights and all!
It’s the perfect time for anyone of Indian ancestry here in America to deeply connect with our cores and celebrate our background, history, and the things we honor.
Holi is a wonderful experience and a perfect day to let go and have some fun while celebrating Hindu traditions as well.
So no matter who you are, or where you are from, you can partake in the celebrations of Holi this year! It’s a wonderful day to have fun, spread love, and just appreciate the joy in life. We wish you a Happy Holi!
- Saha and Nicky
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