HOLI - THE Indian Festival of Colours

HOLI - THE Indian Festival of Colours

We all know that spring has passed, but we didn’t want to wait till next March to show you one of the major Indian spring festivals: the magnificent Holi - Festival of Colours! This one is indeed a splashy event where people happily engage in throwing muddy - but vibrantly coloured - mixtures of herbs and smeary kaleidoscopic powder onto each other. What? Sounds like fun! Apart from its mythological origins, Holi is undoubtedly popular because of its fun factor, along with sweets and drinks such as , a sweet milkshake-type drink and , an intriguingly intoxicating elixir made of cannabis leaves… PingMag dived into the cheerful crowds to give you an introduction to this wonderful celebration of colours.

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Holi - Didn’t we say that this is fun? Coloured faces full of vibrant emotions! Photo by Pavaani

It’s all about the timing

Smear yourself (or anyone around) with colourful powder! Photo by Pavaani

A major festival, especially in Northern India, Holi is celebrated in late February or early March (March 3rd this year). It is held on the day of a full moon, when winter is about to end and the spring season is just beginning to blossom. That is why it is also known as Vasant Mahotsava, with ‘vasant’ meaning ’spring.’ At this time of the year the seasonal cycle is in transition, with plants and crops sprouting up adding new colour to the landscape. As a tribute to this new life, Holi is meant to be a carnivalesque celebration of good spirits. What better way to do this than with colours, which are said to express human emotions? Colours all over the place! The colours are made from Ayuvedic herbs that are said to prevent colds common in this season.

Mythology

Holi dates back to at least 300 BC. The most famous story of the origin of Holi is associated with Hindu God Lord Vishnu’s great devotee Prahlada, also known as Prahlad. Prahlada was the son of the megalomaniac king Hiranyakashipu, who wanted everyone, including his son, to worship him as a god. He didn’t, so his outraged father decided to take his son’s life in order to prevent further dissenters. He ordered Prahlada pierced with red-hot pokers, thrown from a cliff, and trampled by elephants. However, in each case, Prahlada’s devotion saved him. Then, the king’s sister Holika had a special gift that prevented her from being harmed by fire. That is why the king ordered her to take Prahlada into her arms and sit in a pyre, believing this to be the only way to dispose of his son. In the end, Prahlada chanted Vishnu’s name and escaped the fire unscathed, while Holika perished.

OMG! “Holi” is a splashy - and especially muddy - festivity… Photo by Pavaani

Nowadays, on the eve of Holi, bonfires are lit to symbolise Holika giving her life to save Prahlada from the fire and new crops and grains are offered to the flames. And then, the next day is the day to play with colours.

Another possible origin is the story that the young Krishna asked his mother why his beloved Radha was so fair skinned, while his skin was so dark. His mom advised him to put colour on Radha’s face, which he did suddenly and unannounced, much to his own pleasure. This story is especially famous in the city of Mathura, the birthplace of Krishna.

Power colours

Such amazing colours! Natural Indian colours are extracted by the process of fermentation and boiling of plants and tree bark. Photo by Pavaani

The traditional way is to play with colours made from natural materials. In recent years there has been a push to encourage people to return to using natural materials, as industrial pigments, such as Gulal or Abeer, contain colourants, mica chips and sometimes even motor oil. These can be quite harmful, especially if they come into contact with the eyes or are inhaled. So we better stick to non-toxic environmentally-friendly dyes!

The brilliant shades used in the ceremonies are extracted by the process of fermentation and boiling plants - and overall they are hypoallergenic and environmental-friendly: Dry Tesu flowers are commonly used for red and orange colours. Indian spices like Haldi, turmeric, and saffron are used for the colour range from yellow to dark-yellow. Besides having cosmetic and therapeutic uses they are said to protect the skin, purify blood and are also auspicious in Hindu rituals. Marigold flowers and henna leaves are applied for orange colours. Rose petals are used for red and Jacaranda gives a rich purple shade.

The apt apparel

A child playing “Pichkari,” squirting coloured water. Festive entertainment for the whole family! Photo by Pavaani

The best way to play on Holi day is by wearing white clothes and then go out to greet people: Put a tilak on your friend’s forehead and then smear colours all over his body. Do not forget to throw a lot of coloured powder in the air! And there is also Pichkari: Squirting coloured water is a common practice and so is throwing balloons filled with coloured water. All that mud and grease might not be the cleanliest environment to wallow in… But it sure is fun!

Celebrate!

Colour distribution as preparation for the game! Photo by Pavaani

There is simply no stopping when colours are being splashed all over the place! Not surprising, as we all know that the colours demonstrate energy and passion towards life. Painting yourself and others in vivid and vibrant colours is the best way to take a break from monotony. But keep the environment in mind: Use harmless, natural colours! And, yeah, go out - a big canvas (people) along with brushes (your bare hands) are waiting… And beware of those few idiots that use the common saying ‘Never mind, it is Holi today!’ to justify a bit of overly aggressive behaviour.

The Indian Holi - Festival of Colours sounds like such a wonderful party! We should try to export this to Japan…