Mar. 1 – Today and yesterday mark the first major Hindu ceremony of the year in India, Nepal, and Pakistan as people celebrate the Holi Festival, otherwise known as the Festival of Colors.
Holi is an ancient Indian festival originally known as “Holika,” and is featured with detailed descriptions in early religious works such as Jaimini’s Purva Mimamsa-Sutras and Kathaka Grhya-Sutras.
It is believed that Holi existed several centuries before the birth of Christ, however, the meaning of the festival has changed over the years.
Earlier, it was a special rite performed by married women for the happiness and well-being of their families, and the full moon (Raka) was worshiped. Historians also believe the Holi was celebrated by Aryans – primarily in the eastern part of India.
These days, a large part of the celebration involves being soaked by buckets of water and covered in bright colors – resulting in a festival that is chaotic and fun, as well as profitable for launderettes across Southeast Asia!
Readers may have seen a snippet of the festival in one of the Incredible India advertisements, with the showering of bright powdered colors on otherwise pristine, white-dressed, passersby.
Today’s Guardian newspaper has a vivid slide show of the festival here.
