HOLI - FESTIVAL OF COLORS 

Above you see people rejoicing in the festival of Holi. "Gulal" is the official name of the red colored powder, although all colors from orange, yellow, green, purple, blue to even metallic colors are now used.

HOLI is known as the festival of colors. It is celebrated on the day of the full moon (Purnima) in early March every year. Holika purnima is also called Hutasani. It is the celebration of the arrival of Spring - the season of hope and new beginnings and marks the re-kindling of the spirit of life  according to the Bhagvad Gita. Holi is a day to celebrate with friends and neighbors. People perform havan and offer to the gods the new grains that are harvested. The history of the origin of Holi goes back to Hindu mythology when Lord Krishna killed the demon "Madhu" in ancient Braj or modern Mathura in U.P.

The festival's preamble begins on the night of the full moon. Bonfires are lit on street corners to cleanse the air of evil spirits and bad vibes, and to symbolize the destruction of the wicked "Holika", for whom the festival was named.

On "Dhuleti" the following morning, the are streets filled with people dancing, splashing and throwing  colored powder and spraying colored water with "pitchkaris" or water guns and even dousing each other with buckets of water.

"Pitchkari" or water gun filled with colored water to spray and soak your friends with.

The best part is to catch someone unawares, one can get away with almost anything on this day.  Kids especially like throwing water filled balloons at each other from atop buildings. For the teenagers its a great day to spend flirting.  Friends and neighbors go out in groups enjoying together. "Gulal" is the official name of the red colored powder, although all colors from orange, yellow, green, purple, blue to even metallic colors are now used. After an exhaustive morning, in the afternoon, the craziness comes to an end and everyone heads home to clean up and enjoy the holi sweets and savories.