A picture of my adorable niece who has also joined in the wild abandon of this festival.
Like Mardi Gras and Easter, Holi is a major festival in India welcoming the advent of spring. Normally, it is celebrated on a full moon day in the month of March or April depending on where it falls in the Hindu calendar.
It is a boisterous festival celebrated by everyone with great gusto with singing and dancing. Evryone regardless of age, class, caste or gender joins in to play with dry and wet colors - certainly no social inequity here. Beautiful colors are used and folks join in the fun with total abandonment uncaring of their attire or appearance.
There are many legends associated with this festival -chief of them being about India's God Krishna and his frolicking with the love of his life, Radha. Needless to say, this is also considered a time when men and women give up their conventional coyness-rather public flirting and coquetry is often on public display in the rather conservative Indian social setup.
I could write a lot about it - about how I didn't much care for this festival as I hate cold water especially when I was dunked unceremoniously by my older brothers and their hateful friends who took it as an opportunity to payback the bratty kid sister who squealed on them all the time and on and on... Regardless those were wonderful days when my parents would not allow any of us to enter the house till we had hosed ourselves outside in the garden before entering the house.
Instead to give you a flavor, I will just share a clip showing you celebration of Holi in India depicted Bollywood style - despite the song and dance, it is pretty accurate. Enjoy!
Can you imagine this festival is even popular here in US among the young people as you can see from the video clip which shows celebrations in a Hindu temple in Utah!
Of course it is a national Holiday in India. Here are also some amazing pictures right from India which show the recent celebration on March 11.
When you have had your fill of color, do move on to Candid Carrie's Phriday Fiesta and see what is going on there...
Happy Holi and Namaste for now!
