Known as the festival of colors, Holi is celebrated on the last full moon day of the lunar month of Phalguna. An age-old tradition, Holi marks the end of winter and celebrates the victory of good over evil. Festival-goers light bonfires, throw colored powder called gulal at each other, eat sweets, and perform traditional dances.
“It’s a time for people to relax. It’s a joyous festival, and the colors remind us that deep down we are all the same,” said Suhag Shukla, director of the Hindu American Foundation in Washington, DC.
Red Rain
Red powder is thrown in handfuls at the Baldev temple in Dauji, 177km south of Delhi. Red is a very auspicious colour in India. “It is the traditional colour of brides’ dresses, but during Holi, no colour is considered more important than another. All colours are celebrated here,” said Shukla.
Ignore class distinctions
A woman dances on the street in Vrindavan. In orthodox Hindu communities, some widows are forced to move to holy cities and are shunned by their families. But during Holi, caste distinctions are less rigid and everyone can participate. In Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh, more than 1,000 widows living there turned out to participate.
Traditional music and dance
A woman covered in colored powder performs a traditional dance. Many songs have been written for this festival, ranging from cheerful tunes to love songs about the love between the Hindu gods Krishna and Radha.
Krishna and Radha
Villagers of Nandgaon throw red powder at each other at the Radha temple. Nandgaon is the hometown of Radha, a close friend of Lord Krishna in Hindu mythology. According to Holi traditions, the throwing of colored powder at each other originated from Radha and Krishna.
Young Krishna, who had a dark complexion, asked his mother why Radha's skin was fair. Krishna's mother then told her son to throw colour on Radha so that her skin would become like his.
Dance of colors
A young man during a festival at the Nandagram temple. Here, there is a tradition of men from the neighbouring village of Barsana being doused with coloured water by men from Nandgaon and beaten with sticks by women from Nandgaon.
Holi festival has become more popular
A woman shakes her yellow powder-covered hair at a festival in Mumbai. Holi is traditionally more popular in northern India than in the south, but today it is celebrated across the country. It has also spread to parts of Europe and North America.
Immersed in pink
A man in Allahabad lies on the ground covered in pink powder. The color represents spring and blooming flowers.
