Holi: Festival of Colors

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They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link font-12 "> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div></div> </div> <article class="topic-content content mt-20"><figure class="md-assembly md-feature-assembly print-false" data-type="1" data-descid="1"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/57/244757-050-CADDB530/Hindu-Holi-Festival-Mathura-Uttar-Pradesh-India.jpg" target="_blank" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center " data-href="*"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/57/244757-050-CADDB530/Hindu-Holi-Festival-Mathura-Uttar-Pradesh-India.jpg?w=600&q=60" alt="Hindu Holi Festival celebrations with colored water, powder and colorful flower petals thrown over celebrants at a Hindu temple in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India on March 24, 2021." data-width="1600" data-height="1067" loading="eager"><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class=""><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div><cite class="credit d-block mt-5">Avishek Das/SOPA Images鈥擫ightRocket/Getty Images</cite></figcaption></figure> <p class="topic-paragraph">Every spring, people across India and around the world celebrate the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hinduism" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Hindu</a> festival <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Holi" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Holi</a>, throwing colored water and powders on one another in joyous celebration. On this one day鈥攖he full-moon day of the Hindu month of Phalguna鈥攕ocietal rankings such as caste, gender, age, and status are eschewed in the spirit of making merry together, and everyone is fair game to be doused with color.</p><span class="MOD1"></span> <p class="topic-paragraph">Holi鈥檚 traditions vary throughout the country and have their roots in Indian mythology. In many places the festival is associated with the legend of Hiranyakashipu, a demon king in ancient India. Hiranyakashipu enlisted the help of his sister, Holika, to kill his son, Prahlada, a devoted worshipper of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Vishnu" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Vishnu</a>. In an attempt to burn Prahlada, Holika sat with him on a pyre while wearing a cloak that protected her from the fire. But the cloak protected Prahlada instead, and Holika burned. Later that night Vishnu succeeded in killing Hiranyakashipu, and the episode was heralded as a triumph of good over evil. In many places in India, a large pyre is lit on the night before Holi to celebrate this occasion. <figure class="md-assembly md-feature-assembly print-false" data-type="3" data-descid="7"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="video" video-id="253602"><a data-id="253602" class="gtm-assembly-link d-flex justify-content-center" style="--aspect-ratio: 16/9" href="/video/History-and-observance-of-Holi-Hindu-festival/-299140"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/02/253602-138-02BA4212/History-and-observance-of-Holi-Hindu-festival.jpg?w=800&h=450&c=crop" alt="History and observance of Holi, Hindu festival celebrated in February-March. Participants throw colored water and powder on each other. Hinduism, Krishna. Holiday." loading="lazy"><script type="application/json"> { "sources": [ { "file" : "//content.jwplatform.com/manifests/8CaGjPUq.m3u8" } ], "image": "https://cdn.britannica.com/02/253602-138-02BA4212/History-and-observance-of-Holi-Hindu-festival.jpg" ,"tracks": [ { "file" : "//assets-jpcust.jwpsrv.com/tracks/L3PmcxA0.vtt", "label": "English" } ] ,"adfile": "//content.jwplatform.com/manifests/hZUygTV7.m3u8" } </script><div class="btn btn-xl btn-white btn-circle position-absolute shadow" style="top: 50%; transform: translateY(-50%)"><em class="material-icons" data-icon="play_arrow"></em></div></a></div><figcaption class=""><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><span class="md-assembly-title font-weight-bold mr-5 d-inline font-sans-serif md-video-caption" video-control="253602">Holi: Explaining the Festival of Colors</span><span>Holi is perhaps the most colorful day of the year.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div><cite class="credit d-block mt-5">Encyclop忙dia Britannica, Inc.</cite></figcaption></figure></p><span class="MOD2"></span> <p class="topic-paragraph">In other places, the story of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Krishna-Hindu-deity" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Krishna</a> and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Radha-Hindu-mythology" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Radha</a> is central. The story goes that Krishna, a Hindu deity who is considered a manifestation of Vishnu, fell in love with the milkmaid Radha, but he was embarrassed that his skin was dark blue and hers fair. In order to rectify this, he playfully colored her face during a game with her and the other milkmaids. This is thought to be an origin of the colored water and powder throwing. The general merrymaking is also seen as characteristic of Krishna, who is known for his pranks and play. </p><span class="MOD3"></span> <span class="AM-END-OF-ARTICLE am-inline"></span></article><div class="related-info grid"><div class="col"><div class="learn-more"><h3>Learn More About This Topic</h3><ul class="list-unstyled"><li><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Holi" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">What other festivities are part of Holi?</a></li><li><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Krishna-Hindu-deity" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Learn more about Krishna</a></li><li><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hinduism" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">What are some other customs of Hinduism?</a></li></ul></div></div><div class="col-md-auto col-100"> <div class="related-feature mb-30"> <div class="box"> <a href="/quiz/holidays-and-festivals-which-religion" > <div class="feature-type">Quiz</div> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/43/177343-131-06DB1F07/Boy-Ramadan.jpg?w=225&h=120" alt="Ramadan. Little boy with sparklers. During the holy month of Ramadan Muslims break their fast each evening with prayer followed by festive nighttime meals called iftars. Islam" /> <strong>Holidays and Festivals: Which Religion?</strong> <p>You may know your own religion鈥檚 traditions, but do you know who celebrates these holidays and festivals?</p> </a> </div> </div> </div></div> </div> </div> </div> <aside class="cm-rightrail d-none d-md-block ad-rail"></aside> </div> </div> </div> </div> </main> <div class="grid gx-0"> <div class="col"> <div class="md-loading hidden display-4 font-weight-normal"></div> <div class="text-center my-20 mb-100"> <button class="md-infinite-load-next btn btn-blue" data-value="next-page">Load More</button> </div> </div> <div class="col-md-da-320 hidden-xs"> </div> </div></div> </div> </main> <div id="md-footer"></div> <noscript><iframe src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-5W6NC8" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript> <script type="text/javascript" id="_informizely_script_tag"> var IzWidget = IzWidget || {}; (function (d) { var scriptElement = d.createElement('script'); scriptElement.type = 'text/javascript'; scriptElement.async = true; scriptElement.src = "https://insitez.blob.core.windows.net/site/f780f33e-a610-4ac2-af81-3eb184037547.js"; var node = d.getElementById('_informizely_script_tag'); node.parentNode.insertBefore(scriptElement, node); } )(document); </script>  <script> window.ap3c = window.ap3c || {}; var ap3c = window.ap3c; ap3c.cmd = ap3c.cmd || []; ap3c.cmd.push(function() { ap3c.init('ZO4siT4cLwnykPnzZWJtd3Byb2Q', 'https://engage.email.britannica.com/'); ap3c.track({v: 0}); }); ap3c.activity = function(act) { ap3c.act = (ap3c.act || []); ap3c.act.push(act); }; var s, t; s = document.createElement('script'); s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.src = "https://engage.email.britannica.com/app.js"; t = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; t.parentNode.insertBefore(s, t); </script> <script class="marketing-page-info" type="application/json"> {"pageType":"Story","templateName":"SPOTLIGHT","pageNumber":1,"pagesTotal":11,"pageId":3906,"pageLength":null,"initialLoad":true,"lastPageOfScroll":false} </script> <script class="marketing-content-info" type="application/json"> [] </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/js/libs/jquery-3.5.0.min.js?v=3.130.14"></script> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel Code Splitting"> (function() { $.ajax({ dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: 'https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/dist/story-page.js?v=3.130.14' }); })(); </script> <script class="analytics-metadata" type="application/json"> {"leg":"B","adLeg":"B","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"Story","pageSubtype":"SPOTLIGHT","articleTemplateType":null,"gisted":false,"pageNumber":1,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":false} </script> <script type="text/javascript"> EBStat={accountId:-1,hostnameOverride:'webstats.eb.com',domain:'www.britannica.com', json:''}; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> ( function() { $.ajax( { dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: '//www.britannica.com/webstats/mendelstats.js?v=1' } ) .done( function() { try {writeStat(null,EBStat);} catch(err){} } ); })(); </script> <div id="bc-fixed-dialogue"></div> </body> </html>

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