Holi or The Festivals of Color is a festival of spring celebrated by Hindus and Sikhs in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal as well as other countries with large Indian populations, for example United States, United Kingdom, Southern Africa, Fiji, Mauritius, Suriname, Guyana, and Trinidad. Holi Festival shall also be known as Dolyatra Doul Jatra or Basanta-Utsav spring festival in West Bengal and Orissa of India. Holi is celebrated with most anticipation within the Braj region, or locations connected to the the god Krishna, which are Mathura, Vrindavan, Nandagaon, and Barsana. Many of these grow to tourist destinations during the festive season, which can final up to 16 days. Holi festival date is based on Hindu lunar calendar.
It is annually celebrated at end of winter, on the final full moon day of Lunar month Phalguna. Holi Day usually falls in February or March. There are many stories related to the origins of Holi Festival. One is related to the the god of love, Kamadeva. The legend has it that Kamadeva shot his weapon at Shiva to help Parvati to marry Shiva by disrupting Shiva’s meditation.
Shiva, disrupted from his meditation, opened his third eye and cause a gaze of which was so powerful that Kamadeva’s body was destroyed and reduced to ashes. For the sake of Rati, Kamadeva’s wife, Shiva restored Kamadeva like a mental image, representing the true emotional and spiritual state of love. The first highlight of Holi festival is joyous celebrations of going to the street in large groups, smearing each other with bright colored powders and water, without regard to corporate status for example caste, race, or sex. People exchange greetings, young people pay respect to the elders by sprinkling some colors on their feet, elders distribute money and sweets, and everyone join within the dance.
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