Holi : What is the history of Holi?
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.
Now, one of the primary themes of Holi is the triumph of good over evil. This takes root from the story of Hiranyakashipu, a king who believed he was immortal and should be worshipped as such. 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. As the story goes, Lord Vishnu appeared in the form of a half-lion, half-man and killed Hiranyakashipu, and 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 — his skin turned blue as a baby when he drank poisonous milk from a demon, according to Hindu legend. Krishna fell in love with Radha, but was worried that Radha would not feel the same way because of his skin. Radha let Krishna apply color to her skin, and they became a couple. And so on Holi, we apply color to each other’s skin.
When is Holi?
Holi always falls on the full moon that occurs during Phalguna, a month in the Hindu calendar that corresponds with late February and early March in the Gregorian calendar. The eve of the festival, Holika Dahan, is when the customary puja and bonfire is held, and the following day — Purnima or Rangwali Holi — is when the full festival of colors occurs. (That’s the day filled with color throwing, water gun spraying, and dancing in the streets.) In 2024, Holi falls on March 24 and 25. Dates for the next few years after that can be found
What is Holi?
Holi is a Hindu festival that takes place every spring. It’s all about new beginnings — Holi welcomes the spring season and celebrates the end of winter. The Holi festival always falls on Purnima, or the day of the full moon. It’s a two-day holiday; the day before the full moon is Holika Dahan. That’s when a bonfire is lit for a puja (or prayer). The bonfire is cleansing and meant to burn away all the bad and evil. The next day, directly after the full moon, is all about the festival of colors.
Holi Photos
