Holi Festival In India
Today, I’ve got an unusual travel photo from Wanderers Travel India about the Holi Festival which is celebrated in India and in many other countries of the world that have a Hindu population. You can follow The Wanderers on Facebook as well.
It looks like these kids were swimming in a big vat of bubble gum, but actually, their multi-coloured faces are caused by the ritual of rubbing heaps of dye into each other’s faces, which is all part of the Holi Festival.
Other rituals include lighting up massive bonfires and people throwing scented water at each other. Both locals and visitors alike tend to just let themselves go and run amok.
Holi, or the Festival Of Colours, is one of the most famous festivals in India has a unique charm about it. No one cares about looking multicoloured or the oppressive heat. It is all about having a lot of fun.
The Holi Festival Of Colours Description
This festival occurs all throughout India with much enthusiasm, but the two places specifically known for their unique way of celebrating Holi are Vrindavan and Mathura. 40 days prior to the main Holi day, the celebrations begin here. Dancers from different parts of India depict chapters from Lord Krishna’s life. Singing troupes perform Holi folk songs as well.
Western India celebrates the Holi Festival in a slightly different way. An elephant festival kicks off Holi celebrations in Jaipur every year on Holi eve. Elephant parades, elephant beauty contests, folk dances, and tug-of-war between elephants, locals and foreigners are all regular events. It makes Holi extra fun!
Elephant Beauty contests! Now I have to see that! Here is a bit of video footage about it!
I’ve only been to India once, and that was to Bangalore. I really liked some of the Funny Beer Names that were thrown around, and walking past a Cow In The Street. Would like to see more of it!
Yes, India is a completely different world, both in traditions and culture. I don’t think there’s never a dull moment in India. Wherever you look, at all times of day or night, you will see something that surprises you, confuses you, or amuses you.
More Holi Festival Stuff
For more Holi Festival info, check out Wanderer’s Travel and Holi (Celebrations in My World).
Twitter: nicholelm
Going to India during the Festival of Colors is definitely pretty high on my bucket list. This was great to read!
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Anthony The Travel Tart Reply:
February 5th, 2012 at 3:36 pm
No worries, make sure you do it! I’m keen to do this myself!
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Twitter: edmaration
That’s why it is Incredible India. It really surprises peopl. Imgaine that huge subcontinent with rich culture and tradition with billion of people and everything will just be surprising. I hope I can visit India someday. I have read several blog posts about India.
EDMARATION recently posted..Pagoda Hill in San Fernando, La Union: Everyday is Valentine’s Day
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Hi,
I just found this interesting so thought of leaving a few words about this festival, Holi
Holi is one of the major festivals in India. this festival is celebrated all over India in some form or the other.
This festival has loads of stories associated with it,
I have so much to say that feel that this space might be less for the whole tale.
Holi was initially celebrated and played with mud, to build up immunity during the changing season in India from winters to summers.
Later from the era of Shri Krishna it was played with flowers, and some time later with the advent of technology, colours came into being,from only pink( more famously known as gulal) and red colour used to now many more other colours.
This festival has many stories attached to it
Most famous is one of King Hiranyakashyap who prayed to god for powers and was blessed not to be killed by any human or animal or bird. After after getting powers he assumed himself to be ‘Amar’ ie he assumed that he would live for ever and would never die and is thus equivalent to god. His son Pralad was a worshiper of lord Vishnu, who according to hindu mythology is the one who is the controller of this world.
The king asked his son to worship him and not lord vishnu but in spite of his repeated warnings he continued worshiping Lord Vishnu. the king then decided to get rid of his son, and thus tried many ways to do so, but each time he escaped. At last the king called upon his sister Holika, who was blessed never to get burned in fire to make Pralad sit in her lap and then sit on the pile of burning logs,However, due to blessings for Lord Vishnu, Pralad got away unscratched and holika got burnt up, that’s why a day before holi in the evening , people burn bonfires to celebrate victory of good over evil.
Later Hiranyakashyap was killed by a form of Lord Vishnu which was half man and half Lion, that is head of animal and body of man.
there are many other stories associated with Holi and i hope that i will write more about it again in this post before Holi , but certainly its one of the most beautiful festivals of india and its worth visiting northern india especially during this time.. anyways wish all a Happy holi in advance. see u in india
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