Editor’s note: A version of this article was first published in March 2022.
CNN —
Millions of people in India and around the world celebrate Holi this week.
The Hindu festival of love, color and spring is one of the happiest festivals of the year. It’s a time when people put on simple, cheap clothes and take to the streets to shower clouds of powdered paint and buckets of water on each other. There is singing, dancing and of course eating.
This year’s holiday falls on March 8, but in some parts of India communities begin the celebrations by lighting bonfires the night before in a celebration known as Holika Dahan or Choti Holi. After the bonfires have died down, some Hindus smear the ashes on their bodies as a purification ritual.
The bonfires are a nod to one of the most famous legends associated with the festival – a tale of the victory of good over evil.
According to legend, the demon king Hiranyakashayap, who wanted to be worshiped as a god, became angry that his son Prahlad instead worshiped the deity Vishnu, the sustainer and protector of the universe. In return, Hiranyakashayap conspired with his sister Holika to kill his son.
As part of the plan, Holika would lure Prahlad onto her lap and into a campfire while her enchanted scarf protected her from the wrath of the flames. But Vishnu foiled the duo’s plan and rescued Prahlad. In the end, Holika died in the fire and Hiranyakashayap died at the hands of Vishnu. Prahlad eventually replaced his father as king.
However, Holi’s signature tradition is the throwing of colored powders – a tradition that has its roots in the love story of Radha and Krishna.
In Hindu mythology, the deity Krishna was left with blue skin after drinking milk poisoned by a demon. Concerned that Radha might be put off by his unnatural appearance, Krishna vented to his mother, who playfully suggested that he smear colored powder on Radha’s face, according to British Museum curator Sushma Jansari. In the process, Radha fell in love with Krishna.
Today, street market vendors sell colorful piles of powder for people to follow in the footsteps of Radha and Krishna. Besides the colors, people also throw water balloons and shoot water pistols as part of the celebrations.
Although Holi is a Hindu festival, today it transcends the confines of religion and is celebrated by people across the Indian subcontinent. Young and old come together to bathe their loved ones and strangers in hues of red, yellow, pink, purple and more for a day of laughter and fun.
