United News of Bangladesh

Holi, often called the Hindu festival of colors, is a vibrant annual celebration marking the arrival of spring. Observed mainly in India, Nepal and other South Asian nations, as well as among the global Indian diaspora, the festival blends cultural joy with deep religious meaning. It symbolizes love, renewal and the triumph of positivity over negativity. The celebration usually takes place in March, on the last full moon day of the Hindu luni-solar month of Falgun. Because it follows the lunar calendar, the exact date changes each year. In 2026, Holi will be observed on March 4. One of the festival’s most recognizable traditions sees participants dressed in white gathering outdoors to toss bright colored powders at one another, transforming streets into a mosaic of hues. Music, dancing and festive foods add to the lively atmosphere. Mythological Roots Holi’s origins lie in Hindu mythology, and many communities light bonfires on the eve of the festival to represent the victory of good over evil. A popular legend tells of the demon king Hiranyakashipu, who demanded to be worshipped as a god. When his son Prahlada remained devoted to Vishnu instead, the king plotted to kill him. He enlisted his sister Holika, believed to be immune to fire, to sit with the boy in a blazing pyre. However, Prahlada’s devotion saved him, while Holika perished — a story that underscores faith and righteousness prevailing over evil. In parts of southern India, the festival is linked to the tale of Shiva burning Kamadeva, the god of love, with his third eye. Known as Kama Dahanam, the event signifies overcoming earthly desires in pursuit of spiritual growth. Holi is also associated with Krishna and his playful love for Radha, along with his interactions with the gopikas, who symbolize devotion and unconditional love. Celebrations and Traditions On Holi, towns and neighborhoods come alive as people splash colored powders and water on friends and strangers alike. Water balloons and squirt guns add to the fun, and celebrants often greet one another with shouts of “Holi hai!” meaning “It’s Holi!” Over time, Bollywood films have further popularized the festival’s exuberant spirit. Each color used during Holi carries symbolism: blue reflects Krishna’s complexion, green represents spring and new beginnings, red is linked to marriage and fertility, and red and yellow together denote auspiciousness in Hindu rituals. Special dishes are central to the festivities. A favorite treat is “gujia,” a deep-fried pastry filled with sweetened milk solids, nuts and dried fruits. Another staple is “thandai,” a chilled drink made with milk, sugar, almonds, fennel seeds, rose petals, poppy seeds and saffron. Holi in the Diaspora Beyond South Asia, Holi is celebrated with religious observances and community events. In North America and other regions with significant Hindu populations, festivities range from temple ceremonies and Holika Dahan bonfires to cultural programs, parades and Bollywood-themed gatherings. Hindu temples and community centers abroad often organize cricket matches and other social activities around the holiday, helping preserve tradition while bringing communities together in celebration.

The festival of colors Holi is once again here on Friday and the whole of India is immersed in the mad festive mood, as people had avoided celebrating the festival due to COVID-19 pandemic for the past two years. Over the past four days around 2,500 new cases are registered per day as daily deaths due to the pandemic have come down to below the 100-mark. Only two days ago the country extended the vaccination drive to children in the age group of 12-14 years. India has been one of the worst-affected countries by the pandemic as the total tally crossed the 43 million-mark on Thursday, and 516,281 people lost lives to date. Conservative estimates put the figures much higher. Forced to follow the social distancing norms including the COVID Appropriate Behaviour (CAB), people largely kept themselves away from each other for the past two consecutive Holi festivals. However, this year, according to sources, there is a huge jump in sales of colors even as the Indians plan to celebrate the festival with an extra vigor and fanfare. READ: Indian gov't restores e-tourist visas The festival of Holi gripped the Indians for the past several days. On March 10 as the assembly election results were announced, leaders and party workers of the main ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) were seen applying colors on each other's face while celebrating their electoral victory, especially in Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state in the country. Holi is one of the major festivals in India since time immemorial. People throw dry colors as we well as colors mixed in water. People also enjoy throwing balloons filled with colored-water on each other. The festival is related to the farmers' celebration after watching their ripened crops in the month of March-April, particularly wheat, which are ready for harvesting. In olden days, farming was the main occupation of people living in the countryside and watching their blooming wheat crops was a time of celebration, says an 80-year-old Dulichand, a farmer living in Delhi's Hassanpur village. "A day prior to the main festival of Holi, people do a bonfire in the evening and roast the ripened wheat plants, and eat the roasted grains thereafter. This gives them a great satisfaction. On the following day, joyous after tasting their self-grown wheat, people indulged in celebration by throwing colors on each other, in a bid to make each other's life colorful and wishing prosperity," added Dulichand. Besides the farmers' reason of rejoicing after seeing their ready-to-harvest crops, another reason behind celebrating Holi is an epic the theme of which is the victory of truth over evil. The festival of Holi is celebrated with much fanfare and enthusiasm in the twin-towns of Mathura and Vrindavan, in Uttar Pradesh, where revellers begin indulging in celebrations around one month in advance.