Holi, the Hindu festival of colour, is celebrated around the world, marked by raucous parties where people throw and smear coloured powder on each other.
The festival, the celebrations for which will begin on March 25 in many parts of India, signifies the arrival of spring and, for many Hindus, the triumph of good over evil.
Held in March on the full moon night known as Phalgun Purnima in the Hindu calendar, the date changes slightly every year.
While the first night is usually dedicated to more sombre rituals, it’s on the second day that the vibrant celebrations begin. Across India and Nepal, for instance, streets will be filled with colours as powdered dyes are thrown by people at each other and coloured water is sprayed for raucous fun.
In different parts of India and Nepal, bonfires are lit on the first night of the festival to signify the demise of evil.
Another story is linked to the god Krishna’s love for Radha, Jansari writes. Krishna’s skin was dark blue because a demoness had tried to poison him when he was a baby, and Krishna was worried that Radha wouldn’t like him because of his appearance.
His mother, Yashoda, playfully suggested that he smear some brightly coloured powder on Radha’s face. After Krishna did this, Radha fell in love with him and they were later married.
>>> Read full article>>>
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source : TheNationalNews UAE – https://www.thenationalnews.com/lifestyle/2024/03/20/happy-holi-what-why-celebrate/