News|Religion

What is Holi and why is it celebrated?

The Hindu festival Holi, also known as the festival of colours, marks the beginning of the spring season in the Indian subcontinent.

A trainer at a gymnasium plays Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, in Prayagraj, in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh
A man plays Holi, the Hindu festival of colours, in Prayagraj [Rajesh Kumar Singh/AP]
By Selenat Debebe
Updated: 
8 Mar 2023
08:25 AM (GMT)

Millions of Hindus worldwide are celebrating Holi, the festival of colours that marks the beginning of the spring season in the Indian subcontinent.

Here is what we know about the festivity.

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When is Holi?

Holi is celebrated in Phagun, the 12th month of the Hindu calendar, which corresponds to February or March in the Gregorian calendar.

This year, the festival is being celebrated on March 8, though the festivities tend to run longer in some places.

A woman smeared with colors play Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, in Mumbai, India
A woman smeared with colours play Holi, the Hindu festival of colours, in Mumbai, India [Rajanish Kakade/AP]

What’s the story behind Holi and why is it celebrated?

Holi is an occasion to celebrate the triumph of good over evil and the end of winter. For many, it’s also an opportunity to meet people and repair broken relationships.

The king had a son called Prahlad who never worshipped his father and worshipped Vishnu instead. Hiranyakashyapu was so displeased that he conspired with his sister Holika to kill his son.

Holika agreed to kill her nephew, luring Prahlad into a pyre and trying to burn him. However, Vishnu came to Prahlad’s rescue and Holika ended up burning in the pyre.

To this day, Hindu devotees celebrate Holika Dahan on the eve of Holi to mark this event by making bonfires in their neighbourhoods.

Hindu devotees create a bonfire during a ritual known as "Holika Dahan" which is part of the Holi festival celebrations on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, India
Hindu devotees create a bonfire during a ritual known as “Holika Dahan” which is part of the Holi festival celebrations on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, India [Amit Dave/Reuters]

How long does Holi last?

The celebration of Holi usually lasts for two days, with Holika Dahan and a day of throwing colours at each other being its highlights.

On the day of Holi, people of all ages take to the streets to smear each other with dry or wet paint and get showered in powdered colour and water. There is a lot of dancing and singing.

“People even stand on their rooftops to throw water balloons on random people walking on the streets,” Sashreek Garg, who comes from Una in India’s northern Himachal Pradesh state, told Al Jazeera.

“It’s my favourite festival. It binds people, cultures and even strangers together. Now that I am away from home I miss that feeling of coming together,” said Garg, who is currently a university student in Qatar.

Vaamika Shrivastava, another Indian from the central Madhya Pradesh state, also says Holi brings people together and that the festival has outgrown its religious boundaries.

Shrivastava says she lived in various places in India and everywhere she saw one constant: Holi.

“In every new place we lived, we used to have Holi parties in an open area in the neighbourhood with lots of colours, water guns and music and it was a party for everyone,” she told Al Jazeera.

“Holi is more than just the religion it comes from. It is about love and celebrating the colours of life at the onset of spring.”

Hindu priests use colour smoke guns to celebrate Holi, the festival of colours, at a temple premises in Salangpur, in the western state of Gujarat, India
Hindu priests use colour smoke guns to celebrate Holi, the festival of colours, at a temple premises in Salangpur, in the western state of Gujarat, India [Amit Dave/Reuters]

Where is Holi celebrated?

Holi is celebrated in most parts of India, with each region having its own traditions. The celebrations in northern India tend to be more colourful and vivid while those in the south focus mainly on religious and temple rituals.

However, even among the northern states, there is a difference in how long the celebrations last and what people do. Garg, for instance, has never participated in a Holika Dahan bonfire on the eve of Holi. “In Himachal, we don’t do bonfires,” he said.

Andre Visperas is a Hindu practitioner from the Philippines. He said he celebrated Holi for the first time when he went to India for a pilgrimage in Uttar Pradesh state in 2009.

“Before that, I celebrated Holi on my own but I only celebrated the spiritual aspect of it rather than the celebratory traditions such as the throwing of coloured powder,” Visperas told Al Jazeera.

Holi is also celebrated in other South Asian countries like Nepal, Pakistan and Bangladesh which have a sizeable Hindu population. It is also celebrated by the Hindu diaspora in various countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia.

This year, Holi was also celebrated by hundreds of women in two north Indian towns by playfully hitting men with wooden sticks in response to their “teasing” as part of a ritual.

A woman smeared with colors play Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, in Mumbai, India
A woman smeared with colors play Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, in Mumbai, India [Rajanish Kakade/AP]

Greetings on social media

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted a message on Twitter, wishing people a “happy and colourful Holi.”

India’s Agriculture Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain also took to Twitter and shared an image with his family while also wishing people a Happy Holi.

Indian cricketers Sachin Tendulkar and Kuldeep Yadav also took to Twitter and congratulated their followers.

Source: Al Jazeera