Holi has quickly become one of the most popular festivals celebrated worldwide especially among youth because of the fun colours, dancing, loud music, and savory and sweet treats. So read up, to have your very own Holi party and not miss out on any of the fun!
Holi is a 2-day festival. On the first day, people light a huge bonfire and gather around it praying for their long life and loved ones. On the second day, people bring out colors, paint guns, and water balloons to play with their friends and family.
Behind every Indian festival is a very interesting story and an important life lesson. Holi gets its name from Holika, sister of the evil king Hiranyakashyap. The story goes like this; the king prohibited his son Prahlad from worshipping Vishnu, one of the Hindu gods, but Prahlad didn’t listen to his father and continued to worship the great lord. The furious king ordered his sister Holika, who was immune to fire to take Prahlad and sit on a pyre. Now, here’s the twist. When the bonfire was lit, Holika’s body caught fire and she burnt to death, but Prahlad survived because he prayed and asked for Lord Vishnu’s help. And so, Holi is a celebration of the victory of good over evil.
Indian families prepare delicious sweets and snacks on Holi. One of the popular ones is Gujiya; a sweet fried dumpling filled with nuts, coconuts, dried fruits, and cardamom. There are other spicy treats as well to munch on when you get tired of playing or wanna catch a break.
My beauty queens would be thrilled to know that the colours that people play with are actually made out of natural products and are good for the skin. Some of the common things used are dried flowers and spices with medicinal properties. And, the colour itself holds significance; red symbolizes love, and green is for new and fresh beginnings.
No Indian festival is complete without some dancing. It is natural to have loud music playing in the background while playing Holi. It makes the atmosphere all the more fun. In some parts of India, there are huge street parties with drums beating and people dancing the day away.
Here’s another exciting thing about this festival. It’s an old tradition to toast with cannabis milk. Yes, you read that right. ‘Bhaang’ is a milky drink mixed with leaves of cannabis and is enjoyed by many people in India on the day.
This festival is one of my favourites and the thing I like about it most is how close it brings everyone. So, who is gonna get colorful this Holi?