Happy Holi! I was lucky enough to be here during one of the most famous Indian festivals. It is the festival of colors and it is where you have colors thrown on you. A surely beautiful sight to be seen! Holi is the celebration of spring and is observed by Hindus.
Holika was given a shawl to protect her from fires. She carried Prahlad into the fire. A gust of wind came by and threw off her shawl. Meanwhile, Prahlad was praying to the god, Vishnu and was saved from the flames while Holika was burned to death. Holi is about the death of evil and marks new beginnings in the year. A bonfire is lit in remembrance of the incredible feat that was performed. More information can be found here: .
I'm going to let the pictures speak for themselves! Before and after photos are included....
I don't know if I've told you this before, but:
ReplyDeleteIn the film "Outsourced" (so much better than the television show), there is a glorious portrayal of Holi. Westerner Todd misses the sign his host mother posts telling him not to go to work that day; he meets up with his co-worker, who gives him a rundown of what Holi is and how it's celebrated.
Cue the color war!
Watching strait-laced Todd bust out of his corporate persona long enough to join in the local custom, I wished I was in the thick of it with him. I wished I could let go and pelt someone with a fistful of fuchsia powder just because it was a holiday. I wished our holidays were anything like that.
So I am jealous as heck that you got to experience Holi in India! Maybe someday I'll make it there myself.