What is it?
Even if you don't know the name, a picture like this, with colours flying over the heads of the crowd is not exactly obscure. What is Holi, where does it come from and what does it mean?
Holi, a festival, in Nepal generally consists of two days, there are many variations to the festival in Hindu communities with some celebrating for up to 40 days in different parts of South Asia.
What Happens (In Nepal At Least)?
Kathmandu's Holi celebration starts a day before the rest of the country. Why? Good question!
The first day, called Choti Holi, involves a bonfire at night. It is a remembrance of Prahlad, a follower of Vishnu who is one of the three most prominent Hindu gods, who lived through a fire set upon him by a demoness.
Then the second day begins. From morning to sundown, men and women throw powdered colours at anyone they see. Often people come and smear powder on strangers' cheeks shouting "Happy Holi!", before continuing on their way. Bags of colour are thrown into the sky, including other random objects such as sandals. A few people carry around flair-like objects that emit great clouds of colourful smoke (such as in the first picture).
While the powders are dry, don't expect to be so yourself. In crowds, bottles full of coloured water are lobbed into the sky, painting the heads of anyone underneath. Just outside of the crowded areas, streets have clusters of children armed with water pistols, coloured water balloons and large buckets of water. Anyone who makes the mistake of venturing through these streets risks looking like a wet rainbow. The kids get crafty. Some will stay on top of the roofs and pour buckets onto unfortunate groups of people walking by, Others feint, pretending to attack with their water armaments, only to splash the backs of those who walk past. The constant application of colours means that a person's appearance can change from a Simpson to a rainbow to brown sludge in a matter of minutes.
A quick tour through the past
This first mention of Holi is from the 4th century BC. There are several myths associated with its celebration. One involves Holi as an imitation of Krishna's - the 8th avatar of Vishnu - dance with the daughters of cowherders. Krishna, as a young man, quickly got the attention of the women around him. These women danced together with Krishna under moonlight.
The story of Prahlad (as mentioned briefly) is another myth closely asscoitaed with the day of Holi itself as well.
In some parts of India, Holi is based of the time when Kama, the god of love, shot an arrow of Shiva, god of destruction. Shiva, who was meditating deeply at that time, opened his third eye in rage and destroyed Kama. Only after Rati's, Kama's wife, pleas was Kama resurrected. Holi celebrates the resurrection.
What is the function of Holi?
In Nepal, Shivaratri, which was 2 weeks before in 2024, is seen as the transition from cold rainy days to open skies and budding flowers. Holi is a celebration of the spring which has already come. Just as the world comes alive, so do the people.
A more cynical person could also see the celebration as promoting social conformity. During Holi, anyone can throw colours at anyone and the rigid caste system is forgotten. This can do two things. It helps those who feel downtrodden by the system to feel free of judgment, expectation and social custom within speicfic short-term parameters. It also reinforces the legitimacy of the system by implying that normality is conformity to the hierarchy. Perhaps this is not the case, but it could be seen in this way.
What do you think of Holi? Have you played Holi? Would you next year?
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