Holi the festival of colors
by: Gaea Hadary - 9th grade
The Holi is a spring festival in India and Nepal. Also known as the festival of colors or the festival of sharing love. Celebrated as a two-day festival, it is a Hindu religious event. Lately it has become popular with non-Hindus all over the world. In recent years the festival has spread to parts of Europe and North America as spring celebration of love. Among the few places in the US that celebrate the Holi are: Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple in Spanish Fork, Utah. NYC Holi Hai in Manhattan, New York. And, Holi NYC in Brooklyn, New York where Holi is celebrated as the Festival of Colors.
The festival starts on the evening before, people perform religous rituals in fornt of the holika bonfire. The next day is called Rangwali Holi. The day the people play, color and chase others with dry powder and colored water. Also there are water filled baloons and water guns for the water battles. It does not matter who you are, the fight is fair. There are groups that carry drums and play music while walking from place to place.
All of the colors are made out of traditional natural plants. Each color is made out of a different plant and has a different meaning:
Red and Orange: Purity, made from the flowers of palash or tesu tree.
Green: Vitality, Mehendi and dried leaves of gulmohur tree.
Yellow: Pious feeling, Haldi (turmeric) powder.