Happy Holi 2023: History, significance, date, time, celebrations, and all you need to know about the festival of colors

Happy Holi 2023: History, significance, date, time, celebrations, and all you need to know about the festival of colors

Happy Holi 2023: The Holi festival commemorates the victory of good over evil, notably the burning and destruction of a demoness named Holika. This was made possible with the help of the Hindu god of preservation, Lord Vishnu.

Holi got its name as the “Festival of Colors” from the childhood antics of Lord Krishna, a reincarnation of Lord Vishnu, who liked to play pranks on the village girls by drenching them in water and colors.

In parts of India, Holi is also celebrated as a spring festival to provide thanksgiving for an abundant harvest season.

What is Holi?

Also known as the festival of colors, Holi (pronounced Ho-lee) is a Hindu religious holiday that celebrates the victory of good over evil and is one of the most well-known festivals in India. The festival celebrates the feelings of love and pure joy with a chaotic countrywide colored powder fight.

When is Holi Celebrated?

Holi takes place according to the Hindu lunar calendar. The festival begins with Holika Dahan on the night of the full moon (purnima) in March each year and concludes with the throwing of colors the following day. In 2023, Holika Dahan is on March 7, and Holi is on March 8.

The festival happens a day earlier in West Bengal and Odisha, where it is celebrated as Dol Jatra or Dol Purnima on the same day as Holika Dahan. In addition, festivities commence a week or so earlier in some parts of India (such as Mathura and Vrindavan).

Why is Holi Celebrated?

Holi is an ancient Hindu festival that is meant to express the pure joy of the triumph of good over evil. It also represents the arrival of spring, falling in love, and forgiving others for past wrongdoings.

This is a particularly special holiday in India because although it began as a Hindu celebration, today it is celebrated by most Indians regardless of religion.

The name Holi comes from the legend behind the holiday in which the demoness Holika was sent by King Kiranyakashipu to kill his son Prahlada. Holika tried to trick Prahlada into burning to death on a pyre, but because her intentions were evil, she was the one who was burned and killed.

Now we know why Holi exists, but where does the color fight fit in?

The color fight actually comes from the legend of Lord Krishna, a Hindu god who is also worshipped on Holi. According to the stories, Krishna was well-known for playing pranks and being mischievous. One prank he played on the village girls involved dousing them in colors and water.

How Is Holi Celebrated in India (Typically)?

In India, the celebration of Holi lasts for two days although preparations can start weeks in advance. The main events of the celebration are the burning of Holika that takes place on the first evening of celebrations and the color fight that occurs the next day.

Celebrations also include delicious food, religious rituals, holiday greetings, and visiting friends and relatives. Below are the four main ways that Holi is celebrated in India:

1. The Bonfire of Holika Dahan

The first day of the celebrations is Holika Dahan, also known as Chhoti Holi or little Holi, and is when the religious rituals take place. The main event of Holika Dahan is a large bonfire where an effigy of Holika is burnt to symbolize the destruction of evil. 

The building of the pyre for the Holika fire can start weeks in advance. Normally a large log is placed in a community space in every neighborhood. Then leading up to the festival, people bring sticks and other combustible materials to add to the pyre until it becomes a large pile. 

It is common for young boys to act like Krishna and be mischievous during the building of the pyre. They may steal small items from those gathered and place them on the fire to be burnt. This is seen as harmless and playful.

The bonfire of Holika Dahan will take place on March 7th, 2023. The rituals do not begin until the sun sets and the full moon is visible.

When the ceremony starts the effigy of Holika and Prahlada is placed on the pyre. Normally the effigy of Holika is made from combustible material whereas Prahlada’s is made from noncombustible material to represent the holiday”s mythological origins. When the fire is lit, the ritual begins with the chanting of holy versus.

Many people will come to watch the fire and sing and dance around it. It is common to see people walking clockwise three times around the fire which is known as parikrama and is a common method of prayer.

The next morning, the ashes of the fire are collected because they are considered to be very auspicious.

2. The Color Fight

The morning after Holika Dahan, on the day of Holi, is when the color fight begins. This part of the festival isn’t about religion at all and is focused on just having fun and experiencing the joy of spring. 

People take to the streets to celebrate with their neighbors and friends armed with colored powders, liquid colors, water guns, and water balloons. The color fight is a true show of equality between men and women and people of all social backgrounds, meaning that everyone is fair game whether they are young kids or little old ladies.

If you go outside during the color fight, you can expect to return drenched and dyed. The colors are likely to ruin anything you wear so make sure to only wear old clothes.

While most of the celebration takes place in the streets, you can also find large crowds at Hindu temples. Temples that are dedicated to Lord Krishna are especially beautiful places to be during the color fight as they draw large crowds and religious figures. Jaipur’s Govind Dev Ji Temple and Vrindavan’s Banke Bihari Temple are good examples.

The colored powders, or gulaal, can be bought in most Indian markets leading up to the celebrations. We recommend only purchasing natural Holi colors or making your own using colorful spices and organic powders.

Many cities across India also hold special Holi events or parties that include live music, dancing, and color fights. Delhi, Mumbai, and Goa are well-known places to go to attend color parties. 

3.  Lathmar Holi (Stick Holi)

The Braj area (Vrindavan, Mathura, Barsana, Nandgaon, Govardhan, and Gokul) in Uttar Pradesh was Lord Krishna’shometown. Besides color flight, people in this area celebrate Holi with much more ardour and exclusive festivities, such as the famous Lathmar Holi (Stick Holi). The most popular places to attend Lathmar Holi is Barsara and Nandgaon.

Lath means ‘stick’ and mar means ‘to beat’. The legend is that Krishna was poisoned by a demon’s milk during childhood. Rather than killing young Krishna, the milk had the unintended effect of turning his skin to its characteristic dark shade of blue. 

Krishna, living in Nandgaon, was ashamed of his blue skin and didn’t dare to profess his love to Radha, who lived in Barsana. Following the advice of his mother Yashoda, he went to Barsara and simply colored the skin of Radha and her friends. Though Radha fell in love with Krishna because of his charming personality, she and her friends chased Krishna with sticks at first.   

To memorialize the love story of Krishna and Radha, Holi celebrations in Barsara have fun and happy traditions of colors and sticks.

Men from Nandgaon go to Barsara to throw colors on the women. And, playfully, Barsara women chase the men with sticks. The man who is caught will hold a shield on top of his head. Don’t freak out! It is just for fun.

4. Sweet Treats and Festival Drinks

Sweets, desserts, and street foods are a large part of any Indian festival and are especially important on Holi. During the color fights, you’ll find street food vendors selling tasty snacks like papri chaat and samosas to feed the celebrating masses.

It is also customary to exchange sweets between friends and family during Holi. Some of the most popular Holi sweets include gujiya (sweet fried dumplings filled with dried fruits), barfi (a condensed milk and sugar cake), and malpua (a sweet pancake made from fruits). 

Another treat that is traditionally consumed on Holi is thandai, which is a cold refreshing drink made from whole milk, almonds, rose water, fennel seed, saffron, cardamom, and peppercorn.

During Holi, thandai is often laced with cannabis paste (bhang) because in Hinduism it is thought to bring people closer to the gods.

It is important for travelers to be very cautious when consuming bhang thandai because it can cause unpleasant feelings, anxiety, and poor judgment if taken in excess.

What Rituals are Performed?

The emphasis of Holi rituals is on the burning of demoness Holika. On Holika Dahan, large bonfires are lit to mark the occasion. As well as conducting a special puja (worship ritual), people sing and dance around the fire and walk around it three times. In some parts of India, people even walk across the hot coals of the fire! Such firewalking is considered to be sacred. One place where it happens is Saras village near Surat in Gujarat.

The destruction of Holika is mentioned in the Hindu text, the Narada Purana. Holika’s brother, the demon King Hiranyakashyap, apparently wanted her to burn his son, Prahlad, because he followed Lord Vishnu and didn’t worship him. Holika sat with Prahlad in her lap, in the burning fire, because it was thought that no fire could harm her. However, Prahlad survived because his devotion to Lord Vishnu protected him. Holika was instead charred to death.

A priest in Falen village, near Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, says his village is where the mythological tale of Holika took place. Local priests have been walking through the raging fire unscathed for hundreds of years. Since they don’t get hurt, they’re considered an incarnation of Prahlad and blessed by him. The priest admitted that he undertakes a lengthy period of meditation and preparation before the remarkable feat.

Unlike most other festivals in India, there aren’t any religious rituals on the primary day of Holi. It’s simply a day for having fun!