{"id":41086,"date":"2022-03-15T04:30:03","date_gmt":"2022-03-15T11:30:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/picsart.com\/blog\/?p=41086"},"modified":"2022-04-08T10:32:29","modified_gmt":"2022-04-08T17:32:29","slug":"holi-festival","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/picsart.com\/blog\/holi-festival\/","title":{"rendered":"The Origin of Holi Festival and The Meaning Behind Its Colors"},"content":{"rendered":"

Holi festival is a celebration filled with love, happiness, and most importantly, exploding pops of color! It’s a truly remarkable sight to see. Primarily celebrated in India, Holi is one of the most colorful festivals on earth. This once-in-a-lifetime bucket list event has a rich history and symbolism rooted in Hindu mythology. Let\u2019s dive into its origins and the <\/span>meaning behind all of those beautiful colors.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

What Is the Meaning of Holi?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Holi festival, also known as the \u201cfestival of colors,\u201d marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring. According to Hindu legend, a female demon named Holika once ruled the universe alongside her brother, King Hiranyakashipu. His son, Prahlad, worshipped Vishnu, protector of the universe, instead of his father. Prahlad was believed to have turned his back on his father, and in turn, the demon siblings plotted to kill him by burning him to death. The siblings failed to kill the son under the protection of Lord Vishnu and instead burned to death themselves, leaving Prahlad to become king. The triumph of good over evil symbolized in this legend became the essence of Holi celebrations.
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Aside from the legend of Vishnu and the demoness Holika, there’s another story behind the throwing of colored powders that Holi is most known for today. Krishna, who had blue skin, fell in love with Radha. Fearing Radha wouldn\u2019t accept him due to his blue skin, Krishna’s mother suggested he color Radha\u2019s face with paint. Krishna smeared her face in bright, colorful paint, and Radha fell in love and married him. Holi festival celebrates the love Krishna expressed to Radha through vibrant colors, hence the throwing of the colored powders and liquid.<\/span><\/p>\n

When and Where Is Holi Celebrated?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Aside from India, Holi is celebrated in other regions of South Asia as well as in Indian diaspora communities all over the world. The two-day celebration usually takes place in February or March, beginning on the last full moon day of the Hindu lunisolar calendar and concludes with the throwing of colors the following day. The second day of the festival is referred to as Rangwali Holi.<\/span><\/p>\n

How Is Holi Celebrated?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Holi celebrators spend the day having parties with music, dancing, food, and most notably, smearing colored powder and liquid over each other. The main Holi ritual involves a large bonfire, representing the burning of the demoness, Holika. A special worship ritual called <\/span>puja<\/span><\/i> is performed, where people sing and dance around the fire. Tradition dictates walking around the fire three times or even walking across the hot coals. While these are sacred rituals tied to Hindu mythology, there are no religious rituals performed on the main day of Holi. The celebration encompasses happiness, love, and lots of fun for adults and children alike.<\/span><\/p>\n

What Are the Colors of Holi?<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"Holi<\/p>\n

If you don\u2019t mind getting wet, dirty, and colorful, Holi is the festival for you. In fact, the colors may never come out of your clothes and you could end up with pink hair for days. In traditional Holi celebrations, the colors used came from flowers and herbs grown in India\u2019s hot climate, but today synthetic colors are usually used. A kaleidoscopic explosion of powders with vibrant bursts of red, yellow, blue, purple, pink, and green are smeared and splattered everywhere during the event. The traditional colors of Holi are of course rich with symbolism too.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n