Also known as the festival of colours, Holi is a spring festival that dates back to the fourth century. The origin of the festival is associated with different narratives from Hindu mythology. The common one is the story of a demon, Holika, sister of King Hiranyakashipu. When she tried to kill Lord Vishnu’s devotee and her brother’s son, Prahlad, by making him sit in a bonfire, she perished in the flames instead. Symbolically, this triumph of good over evil is what is celebrated.
Celebrations begin: With the Holika Dahan on the eve of Holi in Jaipur.
Celebrations begin a day before with Holika Dahan, when the community gathers at a public space and builds a bonfire, symbolising the burning of Holika.
The next day is the much anticipated festival of colours, celebrated across India and the world in countries with a large Indian population. On this day, people throw colour on one another.
The season also sees a variety of festivals across the country.
Lathmar Holi: Sticks replace colours in this version of Holi.
Lathmar Holi takes place days before the actual festival. Men from Lord Krishna’s village of Nandgaon are beaten by the women of Barsana — both located near Mathura in U.P. It is based on the narrative that Lord Krishna’s relatives used to tease Radha and her friends, who would in turn beat them up.
Bravery on display: Nihangs or Sikh warriors, display their horse riding skills during the annual fair of Hola Mohalla.
Hola Mohalla is a Sikh festival that falls on the day after Holi, or sometimes on the same day. The festival features a three-day fair which concludes on the day of Hola Mohalla with a military-style procession. At the fair, the participants put up displays of fighting prowess and bravery, and listen to music, and poetry.
TIME TO PRAY: Women take part in Gangour festival at Siliguri. During this festival in Jaipur, a popular sweet dish called 'Ghewar' is distributed between families, relatives and friends.
Gangaur is celebrated by married women in the states of Rajasthan, parts of Gujarat, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana, a day after Holi.
SWEET TOOTH: Gujiya and malpua specially made for the season.
Some popular sweets and dishes eaten during this season are g ujiyas — fried maida shells filled with khoya, dryfruit and coconut shredding; malpua — a type of fried pancake made of rice flour, ghee and sugar syrup; thandai — a cold drink made with a mixture of almonds, fennel seeds, watermelon kernels, rose petals, vetiver seeds, cardamom, saffron, milk and sugar, and chaat dishes like dahi vada, papdi chaat , and aloo chaat .
