No need to get dirty! Holiday festival Holi (India in March) What date is the festival of colors held

07.03.2023 Pregnancy

The sacred holiday of spring and love paints India with all the colors of the rainbow.

In March, when nature blossoms after hibernation, Indians celebrate the Holi festival, dedicated to the victory of the forces of good over evil. The main attributes of the holiday are the coloring powder "gulal" and its liquid equivalent, filled into miniature water cannons "pichkari". From the very morning, city streets become fields of “color battles”. Adults and children shouting "Happy Holly!" they cover everyone they meet with handfuls of bright powder and douse them with multi-colored jets. After dinner, the heat of passion subsides. Dressed in clean clothes, Indians go on a visit, taking with them traditional desserts - pies "Gujiya", flat cakes "Puran-poli" and sweet dumplings "Malpurs".

This custom originated in ancient times. Legends connect the appearance of Holi with the love story of the popular Indian god Krishna for his wife Radha. Another version of the legend tells about the demonic ruler Holika, who made an attempt on the life of her nephew Prahlad, a devoted worshiper of the god Vishnu. Almighty Vishnu came to the aid of his follower and instead of Prahlad, the evil Holika burned down in a destructive fire. The burning of her effigy has since become an integral part of Holi, and the colored powder was originally made from the ashes of this fire. According to a less common version, the ancestors of the Indians celebrated the murder of the cannibal demon Dhundi with the first Festival of Colors. Since the victory was achieved by cunning - after intoxicating the monster with bhang - many participants in the celebrations allow themselves to abuse this psychotropic drink.

The festival of colors is celebrated all over India, however, the most grandiose festivities can be seen in the state of Uttar Pradesh, in the district of Braj Bhumi (“Land of Krishna”). The legendary cities of Vrindavan, Mathura, Nandgaon and Gokul, associated with the name of Krishna, become a place of mass pilgrimage for believers on Holi days.

The only day of the year when you can spend time colorfully, dousing yourself, those around you with colorful water or sprinkling with colored dye powder, is the colorful Holi festival, which will take place in the spring of 2018.

The world on this day is painted in all the colors of the rainbow, creating a festive mood, unforgettable impressions.

A few words about the festival of colors in 2018

The birthplace of the Holi festival of colors is India;
Two weeks after the day of Mahashivaratri, it is customary for Hindus to celebrate the brightest holiday in the world - the festival of colors;
03/02-03/03/2018 - the dates of Holi in 2018;
The meaning of the carnival is to make yourself and those around you colorful, dousing yourself with colorful water and sprinkling with colorful powder;
Initially, this day in India was considered a religious holiday;
Today, Holi in India has become a traditional holiday that reveals to tourists the ancient traditions of the country;
Russian cities celebrate the day of colors in summer;
In the capital of India, Delhi, all shops, cafes, restaurants, shops are closed for the duration of the holiday;
Some Indian cities do not welcome such an unusual event, such as Puttaparthi;
Grandiose multi-colored shows of colors are held by such cities of India as Jayper, Makhtur, Vrindavan.

Some interesting facts about the Indian carnival. The essence of Holi

Holi is an ancient Indian holiday. He came to Russia quite recently, or rather, he was brought by tourists who visited this entertainment. And now in some of our cities one summer day in the year becomes colorful from the variety of colored water and colors flying in the air.

Video: How is the festival of colors in Brazil, Rio de Janeiro

This is a day of festivities, fun, looseness. Around are containers with coloring multi-colored powder, which you can choose at your discretion. People hold water containers of different colors in their hands.

The idea is to decorate others and yourself in all the colors of the rainbow as brightly and quickly as possible, so colored powder dust and multi-colored splashes of water are in the air. Lots of laughter, noise, fun. Loud music all around, screams of admiration.

For those who are at this moment in the center of events, the following recommendations will help in order not to be upset by what happened:

Come to the event in clothes that you will not be sorry to throw away later. The paint is difficult to remove.
Before going to such an unusual, colorful event, soak the body well with any cream to protect it from the penetration of coloring powder. The powder, getting on the skin, is perfectly absorbed into it, and then it is difficult to wash off.
In order not to smudge valuables, leave them in the room.
Trying to capture the most attractive moments, take care of cameras, mobile phones, smartphones, otherwise they will remind you of the festival for a long time with their colors. It is better to use plastic bags, durable cases or materials that do not allow water to pass through.
Do not be alarmed if colored water pours on you from above. On this day it is customary.
Water people from the windows of their apartments.
After such an unusual colorful carnival, you must immediately take a shower, carefully washing off the paint from the body and face.

The article pays attention to one of the brightest and most colorful events and gives answers to all questions about it.

Holi holiday what it is and what it means, rules and conditions of celebration, expectation and reality, church and orthodoxy pros and cons

It originates in India, where there is the oldest tradition mentioned in the ancient Sanskrit and Vedas.

The first mention refers to the year 300 BC, as a detailed description was found on one of the stones.

In addition, the Holi festival is a symbol of the arrival of spring, and is also the beginning of the New Year.

The church has a negative attitude towards him, since there is no need to talk about church traditions, but more about pagan rituals.

It is celebrated with the advent of spring, only on the last day of the full moon of the month of Phalgun, and is completed with the onset of the month of Chaitra.

Every year it has a different date of celebration. For example, in 2015 it was March 6, and already in 2016 Holi is celebrated on March 23, and in 2017 it will be from March 10 to 19.

Holi holiday what kind of paint, how to dress, the meaning of colors

Most often they use finger gouache, water-soluble and dry paints. It is recommended to dress only in such a way that you do not feel sorry for clothes that cannot always be washed and with mandatory respiratory protection, for example, a mask. If we talk about the meaning of colors, then there are no special preferences, as well as certain indications of their meaning, so everything that can be beautiful is taken.

When and how is Holi in Moscow and the world

The date has already been mentioned, but it is worth adding that in Holland and Germany they began to celebrate it only in 2012, and England joined only in 2013. In the Russian Federation, the centers of the holiday are Moscow and St. Petersburg, in which a place is allocated for sprinkling with paint.

Holi festival of colors in India history, traditions

History can no longer be traced, so no one can say for sure how and when it all began, but it is known for sure that this is a tradition of India and it has a long history.

There is a legend according to which this celebration was granted by Vishnu to all the Shudras, who were considered farmers.

Holi- one of the most ancient and favorite national holidays of India, symbolizing the arrival of Spring and the rebirth of life. Thanks to its happy recklessness, riot of colors and general fun, this holiday has long been listed in all major encyclopedias of the world. Thousands of tourists annually strive to get into the country of contrasts and fabulous riches for the celebration of Holi, in order to fall into childhood, even if not for long, and decorate the world around them in rainbow colors with their own hands.

It is, in fact, the Bengali New Year. It so happened that, in accordance with the ancient religion of Hinduism, the year begins in early spring, along with the awakening of nature. More specifically, Holi comes on the full moon of the spring month of "Phalguna", which falls in February - March (the dates of the holiday change annually). The arrival of Spring is certainly marked by cheerful fury and colorful battles with sprinkling each other with colored powders and spraying everything around with tinted water from water cannons.

In each region of the many-sided and mysterious India, the holiday is “decorated” in a special way. Thus, the population of the northwestern regions prefers to adorn themselves with flowers of red, white, pink and purple hues. In central India, it is customary to hang bright orange flags on houses, symbolizing fire. In the south of the country, mostly young people take part in the mass fun. Older people are limited to visits, as well as the presentation of small souvenirs, sweets and flowers.

Holi is celebrated most diligently in the states of Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. The peak of madness is observed in Delhi, Varanasi and in the homeland of the Holi festival in the holy city of Vrindavan, where, according to giving, blessed Krishna descended to earth from the spiritual world.

history of the holiday

Where the Holi holiday came from, who and when celebrated it for the first time is now impossible to trace: the branched roots of the tradition go back into the thickness of time. Each region of India devotes the celebration of Holi to different deities: in the north - Vishnu, in the south - Kama. According to one of the many legends, God Vishnu determined four main holidays for each of the four varnas: the Brahmins received Rakhi Purnima, the Kshatriyas - Dashara, the Vaishyas - Diwali, while Holi went to the representatives of the lowest stratum of society - the Shudras, whose duty was to serve the three highest varnas . However, ironically, it was Holi that turned into the most favorite and popular holiday not only among representatives of all castes, but also among the peoples inhabiting Hindustan.

Legend of Holika

The most common legend on the origin of the Holi holiday is the story of the confrontation between the demoness Holika and a young man named Prahlada, the son of the evil king Hiranyakashipu. The boy fell out of favor, refusing to accept the divine status of his father and declaring his worship of Vishnu alone. Then the angry ruler instructed his sister to burn the recalcitrant. The insidious Holika managed to trick the gullible young man onto the funeral pyre in the name of faith in her idol. To everyone's amazement, Prahlada emerged from the blazing flame unharmed, and Holika, who according to legend did not burn in the fire, perished. Since then, on the eve of the Holi holiday, residents burn the effigy of the villainess in memory of how the god Vishnu heard the passionate prayers of his faithful servant and protected him from death.

Legend of Krishna and Radha

Swarthy from birth, Krishna always wondered why the skin of his beloved was lighter. One day he asked mother Yasoda why his face was so much darker than Radha's. Jokingly, Yashoda suggested that Krishna paint Radha's face any color he liked. Such a prank could not go unnoticed by Krishna. Soon, sprinkling with colored powder and dousing with colored water became Krishna's favorite pastime in pastimes with cowherd girls, the so-called gopis.

The legend of Kama and Rati

Another version of the spring festival is based on the touching story of the goddess of passion Rati, who had to be separated from her husband, the god of love Kama. According to legend, the mischievous Kama dared to interrupt the sacred meditation of the god Shiva. Wanting to arouse in Shiva tender feelings for Parvati, Kama shot him with his love arrow. In anger, Shiva incinerated the insolent man with the look of his third eye, but Kama did not die, but only lost his body shell. Later, Shiva, yielding to the prayers of the kind-hearted Parvati and the wife of Kama, the goddess Rati, decided to return Kama's bodily appearance for three months a year. At the moment when Kama finds his body, nature comes to life, everything around blooms and people enthusiastically celebrate the beautiful holiday of love!

Celebration traditions

Preparation for the Holi holiday begins in advance, more precisely, even from the full moon of the previous month "Magha" (January-February). Residents enthusiastically sing songs about Holi, glorifying the victory of Vishnu and mourning the death of Kama, carefully prepare for the reception of guests, many decorate the facades of houses in bright colors, decorate the streets with flower arrangements, buy themselves and their children new clothes, gifts, and, of course, replenish stocks. colored powders, water dyes and homemade sprinklers.

On the eve of the holiday, near the central squares of the settlements, a collective collection of garbage, dry leaves, brushwood, cow dung begins in order to kindle thousands of fires during the rising moon - in solidarity with Vishnu, who reduced the demoness Holika to ashes. The main bonfire, on which the symbolic ugly effigy of the evil goddess is solemnly burned, lights up at the climax of the holiday - on the first day of the festival.

Adnan Abidi/REUTERS

This action is accompanied by joyful cries, ritual dances to the beat of drums and flutes, comic game battles between men and women, jumping over a blazing fire and walking on hot coals. The streets of cities shake all night long from the polyphony of music, explosions of fireworks and firecrackers. Fire on Holi is a symbol of the burning of the past and the beginning of a happy future.

Adnan Abidi/REUTERS

The traditional drink during the days of the festival is intoxicating bhang. This miracle drink is a national treasure of India. The most popular variety is bhang lassi. It contains goat milk kefir (usually tinted green or yellow for a more attractive look), rose water, sugar, local spices and, of course, a special unique ingredient - hemp leaf pomace.

Bhang, according to the locals, relieves stress, allows you to forget about your daily worries and promotes the achievement of a state of spiritual ecstasy. Moreover, in their opinion, bhang, cooked in the right proportions, has healing properties: it eliminates stomach problems, improves mood and sleep. We advise you not to abuse the drink, because it has a fairly strong psychotropic effect on the body. Better pay attention to the ritual sweets "gudiya" - pies baked in oil with cottage cheese and candied fruit. Tasty and healthy!

The fiery night is replaced by the most fun part of the Holi celebration - Dhalundi. At dawn, tens of millions of Indians toss handfuls of colored gulal powder of fiery red, yellow, orange, green, blue and purple into the air. It is believed that this ritual helps to dispel all the worries of the past year and attract happiness, abundance and a rich harvest in the coming year. It is not surprising, but it is this rainbow dust on the mischievous Holi holiday that unites the whole country, wrapping its poor and rich with a colored veil, erasing all caste boundaries and reviving good relations.

A colorful extravaganza, generously settling on the clothes of passers-by, falling asleep on the steps of temples and the smooth surface of reservoirs, deservedly confirms the unofficial name of the holiday - the Festival of Colors.

Dry paints are absolutely harmless. They are made on the basis of natural dyes with the addition of components of plant origin - turmeric, sage, butea, neem tree, etc. Sometimes this "colorful madness" covers the participants of the festival so that it becomes hard to breathe. Many even wear headscarves or masks to protect their lungs and bronchi from this motley dust.

The streets do not yet have time to fill with colored clouds, as the general pouring of colored water begins. Any "weapon" is used - water pistols, sprinklers, bamboo pipes and powerful homemade water cannons. Literally everything becomes multi-colored - adults and children squealing with delight, houses, cars. Cows, dogs and cats, painted in every conceivable color, roam the streets in surprise.

Tourists should remember that during Holi days it is not permissible to express resentment or anger. Accept the general fun with a smile and do not forget that getting paint on a person on Holi is a symbol of the love of the gods for him. The more you get dirty, the more favorable fate will be to you!

Happy Spring!

- a country with an ancient history, where mass religious celebrations have been held for centuries. One of them is the Holi festival, also known as Bhojpuri, Phagwah or the festival of colors. It is held annually and symbolizes the arrival of spring. Let's learn more about how Holi is celebrated today by the people of India and other countries.

History of Holi

As already mentioned, the festival of colors originated in India. There are several versions of its origin, the most popular of which are the burning of the demoness Holika, the games of Krishna with the gopis, and the incinerating gaze of Shiva, the Hindu god of love, Kama.

Indian has its own regional differences. It is most magnificently celebrated in Punjab, where not only Hindus, but also Sikhs participate in the holiday. The spring festival is also held in Bangladesh, where it is known as Dolyatra.

How is the Festival of Colors held in India?

The festival of colors Holi is held on the full moon in late February or early March and lasts 2-3 days. On the first day of the holiday, an effigy of Holiki is burned on a festive fire (to many of our compatriots, this reminds of the ancient Russian holiday of Shrovetide). Also, festival participants can see walking on coals and driving cattle through the fire.

The second day of the festival - in Hindi it sounds like "Dhalundi" - Hindus stage a procession until dusk, and also paint each other with colors, symbolizing the arrival of the long-awaited spring.

The main attribute of the festival is, of course, bright colors. They are made only from natural dyes and herbs. These days, people on the streets sprinkle each other with dry paints, douse each other with tinted water and even mud. All this has a cheerful character of entertainment, because the paints are easily washed off the body and clothes.

In addition to colors, a special drink, tandai, “participates” in the celebration. It contains a small amount of marijuana. And, of course, what a holiday without music! Rhythmic musical accompaniment is provided by traditional Indian instruments such as dholi.

Festival of bright colors in Russia and Ukraine

In large Russian and Ukrainian cities, the festival of colors began to be held relatively recently. It looks more like a mass celebration, an opportunity to paint the gray everyday life with bright colors in the literal and figurative sense. The festival also aims at charity - volunteers collect money, things and toys for orphanages and kids from disadvantaged families.

If in India in February-March it is already warm enough to get real pleasure from the holiday, then the weather does not indulge us at this time of the year. Therefore, the celebration of the festival of colors in Ukraine and Russia was postponed to a warmer time - the end of May - the beginning of June. It is held on different days in different cities.

And since in our culture Holi is not perceived as a religious Hindu holiday, but simply as a good occasion to have fun, then the festive program is somewhat different. It includes:

master classes in Indian dances;
body art;
show of giant soap bubbles;
performances by famous musicians and singers;
provision of services of children's animators;
the opportunity to participate in exciting competitions and purchase themed souvenirs.

The paints are usually distributed by the organizer of the festival, and they are paid (like the entrance ticket), since they are specially purchased in India. It is forbidden to bring your own paints so as not to endanger other festival participants - children, pregnant women and people prone to allergic attacks.

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