Holi Festival Is Not Just The Riot Of Colours- Know The Significance!

Australia Mar 13, 2017

‘Holi’ is fast becoming a global festival. With the number of countries each year celebrating Holi and the scale becoming larger, the meaning and significance are somewhat lost. This amazing festival of colours has a deeper meaning and a significance that is important to be understood.

Holi-in-London
Holi-in-London

Holi, the festival of colours originates in India. It is a Hindu festival (one of the many religions practiced in India) and is celebrated to mark the arrival of Spring and thanking the Gods for the good harvest. The word Holi comes from the word “hola” which means to offer prayers to the gods for good harvest. It is celebrated over two days and marks the celebration of fertility, colour, love and the triumph of good over evil.

Holi is celebrated all over the world and very prominently in India and parts of Nepal. Coloured powders are used by people to coat their friends and family.  This whole festival is split into two events: one being ‘Holika Dahan’ and the other being Rangwali Holi.

Students-play-with-colors-on-the-eve-of-Holi-Festival
Students-play-with-colors-on-the-eve-of-Holi-Festival

Holika Dahan is supposed to take place the night before Rangwali Holi. Wood and dung-cakes are burned. It is a symbolic pyre that is meant to define good defeating the evil. This has its significance in the Hindu Vedi scriptures. It is said that God Vishnu helps burn the evil devil  Holika to death.

The next morning is when the colours run riot and people gather in public places to chase each other with the handful of colours whilst getting drenched in water.

Celebrate-Colorful-Holi-in-London
Celebrate-Colorful-Holi-in-London

There is no fixed date when Holi is to be celebrated each year. The timing of this Hindu Festival is synchronised with the moon. This means that each year the date of celebrations will differ.

Friends, families, and communities get together on this day without any consideration of ethnicity or colour and celebrate the joys of this festival together. People in some parts of India also celebrate Holi for as long as 16 days.

Holi-Festival-of-Colour-at-Wembley-Park-in-London
Holi-Festival-of-Colour-at-Wembley-Park-in-London

Holi is also known as the cupids festival as the lovers are said to colour their faces the same colour to signify their love. Holi has been known to be celebrated for as long as the Fourth century.

Holi has been celebrated now around the globe just it is done in India and Nepal. The celebrations are a little modified in other parts of the world. With colour runs, marathons, colour music festivals lasting for over days, and Bollywood themed celebrations, Holi sees the light of different colours each year.

Color-Run-Screen-Grab
Color-Run-Screen-Grab

These events see not only Indians but nationals of that particular country celebrating with the same enthusiasm and gusto.

You can get spray cans, or colours at Indian stores, also watch the Holi parades that happen in various cities around the world.

Students can look up the Holi celebrations in their own cities. You will find the various day it is been celebrated. All you have to do is pick the date that suits you best, get your white t-shirt, get armed with colour spray cans and head out to conquer your friends.

So how are you celebrating Holi this year?

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Also read: 

Last Minute Christmas Gift Ideas for University Students.

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