How is Holi celebrated?
Holi is the most boisterous of all Hindu festivals. What you will witness or experience on this day is nothing short of sanctioned anarchy.
Holi celebrates the victory of good over evil. It is the most colorful of all festivals celebrated anywhere in the world. In 2016, it will be celebrated on March 23.
Should you celebrate Holi? Well, it depends. If you don’t mind getting dirty for a day, Holi is for you. Holi is different from other festivals like Diwali or Makara Sankranti. If you decide to venture out on this day, you will be bathed in colored water. You will have powders of all colors thrown over you, but you can do the same to others. Interested? Good. Now is the time to pack your bags and head to North India. This year Holi will be celebrated on March 23.
Holi marks the beginning of summer in North India. It is not celebrated in South India, probably because South Indians have hardly any reason to welcome summer. In the South, winter is the best time of the year and temperatures almost never drops below 15 degree Celsius during those months. By contrast, summers are very hot. In the North, winters are harsh. Summers are harsh too, but when you are freezing with cold, you will automatically start dreaming of the sunny days ahead. So, North Indians celebrate Holi with much fervor.
Shops selling gulals of various colors. Holi is almost here and children have already started buying pichkaris (water guns).
Holi is a religious festival, but Poojas are not an essential part of the package. Poojas are typically held on the eve of Holi when huge bonfires are made. The bonfires are lit to symbolize the triumph of good over evil. In many parts of North India, people fast on this day. No Poojas are held on the day of Holi which is meant for having pure fun. Children and adults will take to the streets with water guns (pichkaris) and colorful powders (gulal). They will throw colored water and powders over one another. Colored water is shot from water guns or thrown from buckets. Polythene covers and balloons filled with colored water are also thrown at one another. This can hurt a little especially if you are hit by a big balloon. But it is part of the celebrities and you aren’t supposed to complain. If you are out on the streets on this day, expect to get drenched in colors. No one will ask your permission before throwing water or colors on you. On the bright side, you don’t have to ask anyone’s permissions either. You can do the same to them, and they won’t complain. Revelers are particularly fond of foreigners, so expect to have a lot of colors thrown at you.
But as I have already said, if you aren’t comfortable with the idea of becoming a mobile color chart, Holi isn’t for you. The government always urges people to use natural colors that can be washed off easily. Some do pay heed; others don’t. There is no guarantee that you will be able to wash off the colors easily. Some colors simply won’t come off, so you will probably have to live with them for a few days.
When you go out to play Holi, wear only those clothes that you don’t mind throwing away. Also, apply some coconut oil on your face, neck and hands. The oil will prevent the colors from leaving a deep stain on your skin.
