Holi () is a major Hindu festival celebrated as the Festival of Colours, Love and Spring.[The New Oxford Dictionary of English (1998) p. 874 " Holi /'həʊli:/ noun a Hindu spring festival ...".][Yudit Greenberg, Encyclopedia of Love in World Religions, Volume 1, , p. 212][, Quote: "Holi, he said with a beatific sigh, is the Festival of Love!"]
It celebrates the eternal and divine love of the deities Radha and Krishna.[R Deepta, A.K. Ramanujan's ‘Mythologies’ Poems: An Analysis, Points of View, Volume XIV, Number 1, Summer 2007, pp. 74–81]
Additionally, the day signifies the triumph of good over evil,[;]
Holi originated and is predominantly celebrated in the Indian subcontinent, but has also spread to other regions of Asia and parts of the Western world through the Indian diaspora.[Ebeling, 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, ][ Holi Festivals Spread Far From India The Wall Street Journal (2013)][ Holi Festival of Colours Visit Berlin, Germany (2012)][ Holi 2023 Date, Rituals, and Significance][ Holi Hindu Festival]
Holi also celebrates the arrival of spring in India, the end of winter, and the blossoming of love.[Wendy Doniger (Editor), Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions, 2000, , Merriam-Webster, p. 455] It is also an invocation for a good spring harvest season.[ It lasts for a night and a day, starting on the evening of the Purnima (full moon day) falling on the Hindu calendar month of Phalguna, which falls around the middle of March in the Gregorian calendar.
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Names
Holi (, , , , , , , Odia language: ହୋଲି) is also known as Dol Jatra ("swing festival") and Bôshonto Utshôb () ("spring festival") in Bengal (West Bengal and Bangladesh), Phakua () and Dôl Jātrā () in Assam, Phāgu Pūrṇimā () in the hilly region of Nepal, Dola jātra () in Odisha, Fagua or Phagua () in eastern Uttar Pradesh, western Bihar, and northwestern Jharkhand, Phagwah or Phagwa (Caribbean Hindustani: पगवा) in the Caribbean (namely Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Suriname, and Jamaica), and Phagua () in Fiji.
The main day of the celebration is known as "Holi", "Rangwali Holi", "Dola Purnima", "Dhuleti", "Dhulandi",
Description
Holi is a sacred ancient tradition 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 the Indian subcontinent. Holi is celebrated at the end of winter, on the last full moon day of the Hindu luni-solar calendar month, marking the spring, making the date vary with the lunar cycle. The date falls typically in March, but sometimes late February of the Gregorian calendar.
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.[ 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 ruptured relationships, end conflicts, and rid themselves of accumulated emotional impurities from the past.][
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It also has a religious purpose, symbolically signified by the legend of Holika. The night before Holi, bonfires are lit in a ceremony known as Holika Dahan (burning of Holika) or Little Holi. People gather near fires, sing and dance. The next day, Holi, also known as Dhuli in Sanskrit, or Dhulheti, Dhulandi or Dhulendi, is celebrated.
In 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.[ Holi: Splashed with colors of friendship Hinduism Today, Hawaii (2011)][ Visitors to homes are first teased with colours, then served with Holi delicacies (such as gujhia, shakkarpaare, matri, and dahi vada), desserts and drinks.][ Holi Festival see Play of Colors (2009)] After playing with colours, and cleaning up, people bathe, put on clean clothes, and visit friends and family.[
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Like Holika Dahan, ''Kama Dahanam'' is celebrated in some parts of [[India]]. The festival of colours in these parts is called ''[[Rangapanchami|Ranga Panchami]]'', and occurs on the fifth day after [[Poornima|Purnima]] (full moon).[[http://framework.latimes.com/?attachment_id=26285 Rangapanchami in Bhopal] Los Angeles Times (2011)]
History
The Holi festival is an ancient Hindu festival with its own cultural rituals which emerged before the Gupta Empire period.
The celebration of Holi is also mentioned in the 7th-century Sanskrit drama Ratnavali.[ Religions – Hinduism: Holi. BBC. Retrieved 21 March 2011.] 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), and Holi in editions published after 1910.
Legends
Radha Krishna
In the Braj region of India, where the Hindu deities Radha and Krishna grew up, the festival is celebrated until Rang Panchami in commemoration of their divine love for each other. The festivities officially usher in spring, with Holi celebrated as a festival of love.[Lynn Peppas (2010), Holi, Crabtree Publishing, , pp. 12–15] Beyond India, these legends help to explain the significance of Holi ( Phagwah), which is common in some Caribbean communities of Indo-Caribbean origin such as Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Jamaica.[ The arrival of Phagwa - Holi The Guardian, Trinidad and Tobago (12 March 2009)][ Eat, Pray, Smear Eat, Pray, Smear Julia Moskin, New York Times (22 March 2011)] It is also celebrated with great fervour in Mauritius, Fiji, and South Africa.[ 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..."]
Vishnu
There is a symbolic legend found in the 7th chapter of the Bhagavata Purana[Constance Jones, Holi, in J Gordon Melton (Editor), Religious Celebrations: An Encyclopedia of Holidays Festivals Solemn Observances and Spiritual Commemorations, ] 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 a pyre with her.
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 burned Holika.
Kama and Rati
Among other Hindu traditions such as Shaivism and Shaktism, the legendary significance of Holi is linked to Shiva in yoga and deep meditation. Goddess Parvati wanting to bring Shiva back into the world, seeks help from the Hindu god of love called Kamadeva on Vasant Panchami. The love god shoots arrows at Shiva, the yogi opens his third eye and burns Kama to ashes. This upsets both Kama's wife Rati ( Kamadevi) and his own wife Parvati. 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.
Cultural significance
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.[ Holi India Heritage: Culture, Fairs and Festivals (2008)]
Holi is of particular significance in the Braj region, which includes locations traditionally associated with Radha Krishna: Mathura, Vrindavan, Nandgaon, Barsana, and Gokula. These places are popular tourist attractions during Holi.
Outside India, Holi is observed by Hindus in Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan as well as in countries with large diaspora populations from India around the world. The Holi rituals and customs can vary with local adaptations.
Other Indian religions
The festival has traditionally been also observed by non-Hindus, such as by Sikhs, Jains
In Mughal India, Holi was celebrated with such exuberance that people of all castes could throw colour on the Emperor.[Sharma, Sunit (2017) Mughal Arcadia: Persian Literature in an Indian Court. Harvard University Press [13]] Grand celebrations of Holi were held at the Lal Qila, where the festival was also known as Eid-e-gulaabi or Aab-e-Pashi. were held throughout the walled city of Delhi with aristocrats and traders alike participating. This changed during the rule of Emperor Aurangzeb. He banned the public celebration of Holi using a Farman issue in November 1665.
Sikhs have traditionally celebrated the festival, at least through the 19th century,
Holi was observed by 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 in Lahore. Ranjit Singh would celebrate Holi with others in the Bilawal gardens, where decorative tents were set up. In 1837, Sir Henry Fane who was the commander-in-chief of the British 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 with gopis. 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.[ Holi on Canvas, The Sunday Tribune Holi on Canvas, Kanwarjit Singh Kang, 13 March 2011]
Celebrations
Holika Dahan
The night before Holi is called Holika 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.
Main day
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.[ Rituals of Holi Society for the Confluence of Festivals in India (2010)] Holi is also a festival of forgiveness and new starts, which ritually aims to generate harmony in society.
Groups sing and dance, some playing drums and dholak. After each stop of fun and play with colours, people offer gujiya, mathri, and other traditional delicacies.[ Holi Festival Rex Li Indrajeet Deshmukh and Marielle Roth, Festival Circle, IDSS 2013] Cold drinks, including drinks made with marijuana, are also part of the Holi festivity.
India
Bihar, Eastern Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand
Holi is known as Phaguwa or Fagua in the Bhojpuri 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 a purohit 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.
Holi Milan is also observed in Bihar, where family members and well-wishers visit each other's family, apply colours (abir) 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.
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 the dholak (a two-headed hand-drum) and the spirit of Holi. Intoxicating bhang, made from cannabis, milk and spices, is consumed with a variety of mouth-watering delicacies, such as and thandai, to enhance the mood of the festival.
In the Kanpur, Holi lasts for seven days. On the last day, a fair called Ganga Mela or the Holi Mela is celebrated. The fair was started by freedom fighters who fought British rule.
In Gorakhpur district of Uttar Pradesh, a special event called "Holi Milan" is celebrated.
Goa
Holi is locally called Ukkuli in Konkani language. It is celebrated around the Konkani temple called Gosripuram temple. It is a part of the or Konkani spring festival known as Śigmo or शिगमो in konkani language or Śiśirotsava, which lasts for about a month. The colour festival or Holi is a part of longer, more extensive spring festival celebrations.
Gujarat
In Gujarat, 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 the Dwarkadhish temple with citywide music festivities. Holi marks the agricultural season of the rabi 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.[ topnews.in, Holi in Gujarat]
Jammu and Kashmir
In Jammu 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.
Karnataka
Traditionally, in rural Karnataka, 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 and pichkaris.
In Sirsi, 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.
Wooden idols of Kamanna and Rati are put on public display and taken on parade in some parts of Karnataka.
Maharashtra
In Konkan region of Maharashtra, 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 of Rang Panchami, five days after main day of holi.
Manipur
Meitei people celebrate Holi for 6 days. Here, this holiday merges with the festival of Yaosang. Traditionally, the festival commences with the burning of a thatched hut of hay and twigs.
Odisha
The people of Odisha celebrate Dola or Pushpadola (Dola Jatra purnima) on the day of Holi where the icons of Jagannath replace the icons of Krishna and Radha.
Punjab
In Punjab, the eight days preceding Holi are known as luhatak.[ A dictionary of the Panjábí language (1854) Mission Press] Sekhon (2000) states that people start throwing colours many days before Holi.[Sekhon, Iqbal Singh (2000) The Punjabis. 2. Religion, society, and culture of the Punjabis. COSMOS [19]]
Holi is preceded by Holika 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."[Proceedings – Punjab History Conference (2000) Publication Bureau, Punjabi University [20]] 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".[Bose, Nirmal Kumar (1929) Cultural Anthropology: And Other Essays. ReprintedIndian Associated Publishing Company, Limited [21]]
On the day of Holi, people engage in throwing colours[Parminder Singh Grover and Moga, Davinderjit Singh, Discover Punjab: Attractions of Punjab [22]] on each other.[Jasbir Singh Khurana, Punjabiyat: The Cultural Heritage and Ethos of the People of Punjab, Hemkunt Publishers (P) Ltd., ] For locals, Holi marks the end of winter. The Punjabi saying Phaggan 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.[ Census of India, 1961: Punjab. Manager of Publications]
During Holi in Punjab, walls and courtyards of rural houses are enhanced with drawings and paintings similar to rangoli in South India, mandana in Rajasthan, and rural arts in other parts of India. This art is known as Chowk poorana or chowkpurana 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.[ Drawing Designs on Walls, Trisha Bhattacharya (13 October 2013), Deccan Herald. Retrieved 7 January 2015]
Folk theatrical performances known as swang or nautanki take place during Holi,[Alka Pande (1999) Folk Music & Musical Instruments of Punjab: From Mustard Fields to Disco Lights, Volume 1. Mapin Pub [25]] with the latter originating in the Punjab.[Nandini Gooptu (2001) The Politics of the Urban Poor in Early Twentieth-Century India. Cambridge University Press. [26]] According to Self (1993), Holi fairs are held in the Punjab which may go on for many days.[ Self, David (1993) One Hundred Readings for Assembly. Heinemann] Bose (1961) states that "in some parts of Punjab, Holi is celebrated with wrestling matches".[ Bose, Nirmal Kumar (1961) Cultural Anthropology. Asia Publishing House]
Telangana
Holi is called as Kamuni Punnami/Kama Purnima or Jajiri in Telugu language. Hindus celebrate Holi as it relates to the legend of Kamadeva. Holi is also known by different names: Kamavilas, Kamuni Panduga and Kama-Dahanam.
It is a 10-day festival in Telangana, of which last two days are of great importance. As in other parts of India, in rural Telangana, the 9 days preceding Holi, children celebrate kamuda by playing Kolata sticks along with singing folk songs called jajiri and collect money, rice, corn and wood.
Next morning i.e. 10th day is celebrated as Holi, with colours traditionally extracted from Moduga/Gogu Flowers (Palash/ Butea monosperma).
Tripura
In Tripura Holi is known as "Pali" which means colour in Tripuri language, it's celebrated all over Tripura.
Uttarakhand
Kumaoni people Holi in Uttarakhand 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 classical . Baithki Holi (बैठकी होली), also known as Nirvan Ki Holi, begins from the premises of temples, where Holiyars (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. The Khari 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 white churidar payajama and kurta, dance in groups to the tune of ethnic musical instruments such as the dhol and hurka.
In the Kumaon region, the Holika pyre, known as Cheer (चीर), is ceremonially built in a ceremony known as Cheer Bandhan (चीर बंधन) fifteen days before Dulhendi. The Cheer is a bonfire with a green Paiya tree branch in the middle. The Cheer of every village and neighbourhood is rigorously guarded as rival try to playfully steal each other's cheer.
The colours used on Holi are derived from natural sources. Dulhendi, known as Charadi (छरड़ी) (from Chharad (छरड़)), is made from flower extracts, ash and water. Holi is celebrated with great gusto much in the same way all across North India.[ Kumaoni Holi – Uttaranchal Fairs and Festivals . Euttaranchal.com. Retrieved 21 March 2011.]
West Bengal
In West Bengal, the tradition of Dol Jatra (meaning Swing procession) or Dolotsava (meaning Swing Festival) or Dol Purnima - ( Swing Full Moon) is common among Gaudiya Vaishnavs
In Shantiniketan, West Bengal, Holi is additionally also known as "Basanta Utsab". The festival is celebrated by worshipping the icons of Radha and Krishna by placing them on a decorated swing.
Around 500 years ago, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu went to Vrindaban 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 called Malpua. The biographies of Sri Chaitanya say that he was very fond of this sweet.[Part-V]
Western Uttar Pradesh
File:Samaj gathering during Lathmar hoil.jpg|Colour drenched devotees in Radha Krishna Temple, Mathura, India
File:Lath Mar Holi at Braj.jpg|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.[ Lathmar Holi Festival Lane Turner, Boston Globe, (5 March 2012)]
File:A play of colors then a dance at Holi India.jpg|A play of colours then a dance at a Hindu temple near Mathura, at Holi
Barsana, a town near Mathura in the Braj region of Uttar Pradesh, celebrates Lathmar Holi in the sprawling compound of the Radha 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".
Mathura, in the Braj region, is the birthplace of Krishna. In Vrindavan this day is celebrated with special puja and the traditional custom of worshipping Radha Krishna; here the festival lasts for sixteen days.[ The Indian Express.] All over the Braj region
A traditional celebration includes Matki Phod, similar to Dahi Handi in Maharashtra and Gujarat during Krishna Janmashtami, both in the memory of god Krishna who is also called makhan chor (literally, butter thief). This is a historic tradition of the Braj region as well as the western region of India.[ Tradition of Holi, Society for the Confluence of Festivals in India (2016)] This ritual sport continues in Hindu diaspora communities.[ Indo American News, Volume 33, No. 14, 4 April 2014, p. 5]
=== Nepal ===
Holi, also known as Phagu Purnima, along with many other Hindu festivals, is celebrated in Nepal as a national festival. It is an important major Nepal-wide festival along with Dashain and Tihar (Dipawali).[ It is celebrated in the Nepali month of Falgun (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.]
Traditional concerts are held in most cities in Nepal, including Kathmandu, Narayangarh, Pokhara, Itahari, Hetauda, and Dharan, and are Broadcasting on television with various celebrity guests.
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 called lola (meaning water balloon).[ Happy Holi week . Nepali Times. Retrieved 21 March 2011.] Many people mix bhang (made from cannabis, milk and spices) in their drinks and food, as is also done during Shivaratri. It is believed that the combination of different colours at this festival takes all Sorrowful Angels away and makes life itself more colourful.
Pakistan
Holi is celebrated by the Pakistani Hindus population in Pakistan. Community events by Hindus have been reported by Pakistani media in various cities such as Karachi,[ Soaked in mirth and colour, Hindu community celebrates Holi, Sarah Munir (28 March 2013) Tribune. Retrieved 7 January 2015] Hazara region,[ 'Holi ayi, Holi ayi': Hindus in Hazara celebrate the arrival of spring, the festival of love (17 March 2014) Tribune. Retrieved 7 January 2015] Rawalpindi, Sindh, Hyderabad, Multan and Lahore.[ Holi celebrations in Pakistan, (17 March 2014) Dawn. Retrieved 7 January 2015] The Hindu tribes of Cholistan Desert 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.
However, some cases have been reported where Hindus have been discriminated against and attacked while celebrating Holi in educational institutions.
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.[ Pakistan parliament adopts resolution for Holi, Diwali, Easter holidays, The Times of India (16 March 2016)] 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.[ 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."]
Indian diaspora
Holi Festival Of Colorus London.jpg|Holi festival in London, UK, near the Battersea Power Station
Richmond Hill Holi 2013 Drummers.JPG|Drummers of Indo-Caribbean community celebrating Phagwah (Holi) in New York City, 2013
A celebration of Holi Festival of Colors, Utah United States 2013.jpg|A celebration of Holi Festival in the United States
Over the years, Holi has become an important festival in many regions wherever Indian diaspora were either taken as indentured labourers during British Raj, 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.[ Holi Festival 2013 Community Center of Gujarati Samaj, New York (2013)][ Celebrate Holi: Durban South Africa (2013)]
Suriname
Holi is a national holiday in Suriname. It is called Phagwa 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.[ Holi Phagwa Suriname Insider (2012)][ Phagwa – Festival of Colors Independence Square in Paramaribo, Suriname (2013)]
Trinidad and Tobago
Phagwa is celebrated with much colour and splendour, along with the singing on traditional Phagwah songs such as Chowtal and new songs such as Pichakaree. 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. A Ricinus communis plant is planted in a ceremonial manner along with the chanting of mantras in honour of Holi, and is called a Holika. On this day, many temples in the Indo-Caribbean community also do Pujas in honour of Radha Krishna, Saraswati, Vishnu, Lakshmi, and the temples patron deity.
Guyana
Phagwah is a public holiday in Guyana, and peoples of all races and religions participate in the celebrations.[Ali, Arif (ed.), Guyana London: Hansib, 2008, p. 69] The main celebration in Georgetown is held at the Mandir in Prashad Nagar.[Smock, Kirk, Guyana: the Bradt Travel Guide, 2007, p. 24.]
Fiji
Indo-Fijians celebrate Holi or Pagua as its called in Fiji Hindi, as the festival of colours, folksongs, and dances. The folksongs sung in Fiji during Holi season are called phaag 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.[ Holi, festival of colours The Fiji Times (15 March 2011)]
Mauritius
Holi in Mauritius 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.[ Holi Festival Mauritius (2011)]
United States
Holi is celebrated in many US states by mainly South Asian Americans, particularly those with Indian Americans. 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 are New 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), and Boston (Massachusetts).[
] In 2025, Portland, Oregon partnered with DJ Prashant Kakad in celebrating its first-ever city sponsored Festival of Colors Holi event.
Indonesia
In Indonesia, Indian Indonesians and Balinese people Hindu celebrate Holi as festival of colours. The main celebrations are in Medan and Bali.
Sometimes the Indian immigrants from other countries may also celebrate a small-scale version of Holi.
Holi colours
Traditional sources of colours
The spring season, during which the weather changes, is believed to cause viral fever and cold. The playful throwing of natural coloured powders, called gulal has a medicinal significance: the colours are traditionally made of palash, neem, kumkum, Turmeric, bilva, and other medicinal herbs suggested by Ayurveda 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:[ Holi colors Society for the Confluence of Festivals in India (2009)][ Celebration powders (Gulal/Holi) Purcolor (2010)]
Orange and red colour
The flowers of Butea monosperma or tesu tree, also called the flame of the forest, are typical source of bright red and deep orange colours. Powdered fragrant red sandalwood, dried hibiscus flowers, Rubia, radish, and pomegranate are alternate sources and shades of red. Mixing lime with turmeric powder creates an alternate source of orange powder, as does boiling saffron (kesar) in water.
Green colour
Mehndi and dried leaves of gulmohur 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.
Yellow colour
Haldi (turmeric) powder is the typical source of yellow colour. Sometimes this is mixed with chickpea (gram) or other flour to get the right shade. Aegle marmelos fruit, amaltas, species of , and species of Tagetes are alternate sources of yellow.
Blue colour
Indigofera, Indian Berry, species of Vitis, blue hibiscus, and jacaranda flowers are traditional sources of blue colour for Holi.
Magenta and purple colour
Beetroot is the traditional source of magenta and purple colour. Often these are directly boiled in water to prepare coloured water.
Brown colour
Dried tea leaves offer a source of brown coloured water. Certain are alternate source of brown.
Black colour
Species of grapes, fruits of amla (gooseberry) and vegetable carbon (charcoal) offer grey to black colours.
Issues
Health impact
A 2007 study found that malachite 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.
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.[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]
These reports have galvanised a number of groups into promoting more natural celebrations of Holi. Development Alternatives, Delhi's CLEAN India campaign,
In urban areas, some people wear nose masks and sunglasses to avoid inhaling pigments and to prevent chemical exposure to eyes.[ Holi Festival What to wear? UK (2012)]
Environmental impact
The use of heavy metal-based pigments during Holi is also reported to cause temporary wastewater pollution, with the water systems recovering to pre-festival levels within 5 days.[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]
Influence on other cultures
Holi is celebrated as a social event in parts of the United States.
Holi-inspired events
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-inspired such as the Festival Of Colours Tour and Holi One[ The BiH Color Festival is a Holi-inspired electronic music festival held annually in Brčko, Bosnia and Herzegovina.]
See also
Notes
External links
