Holi is an ancient hindu festival celebrated in the last month of the Hindu calendar, some where between last week of February and first week of March. It holds not just religious significance but cultural  importance too. Unlike other festivals where the focus is on celebrating occasions in a formal manner, holi is unlike another festival…. Boisterous, fun and playful, it brings together people from all strata’s of the society and binds them together in the colour binding festivities of the occasion.

Holi has evolved significantly in its narrative, from being a majorly hindu festival it is now celebrated with equal fervour by people from across religious sections and now celebrations are held across the globe, where ever the hindu population has managed to spread the word regarding the social significance of the festival of colours.

Traditionally the festival is related to two legends one of Dhruv and Hiranyakashyap and the other with the festivities as played out by Lord Krishna and Radha in the Brijh region covering Mathura, Vrindhavan and Brij. While the story of Dhruv relentlessly following his devotion for Vishnu even in the face of death is an inspiring story of good triumphing over evil in eternity… it is the narrative of Krishna and Radha engaging in playful and boisterous holi which remains captured in the imagination of the people who celebrate holi as a mark of tribute to the Gods who once graced the same festivities.

It is perhaps for this reason that  even today the Brij ‘Lath maar holi’ is one of the most appreciated religious festivity world over with tourists thronging the hinter lands of India to experience the age old traditions of holi for themselves. The Brij holi begins 15 days before the actual date of holi and in Vrindhawan’s Banke Bihari temple the priests celebrate the day with a special phoolonwali holi where they shower the devotees with flower petals. The lath maar holi is unique, the women have the freedom to playfully hit the men folk with sticks and the men have to accept what ever the women wish to give them. However, since they only get playful beating by sticks they protect themselves with shields.

Keeping in line with the antiquity of the festival, there are still some households who excel in making homemade colours extracted from flowers. Over the past years there has been an evolution of the kind of organic colours available in the market since the chemical colours leave people with irritated skins and rashes.

The maximum city celebrates the day with much fanfare and of course with parites dotting the entire landscape of the city centres. Keeping its Bollywood spirit alive Mumbai is known more for the holi parties thrown by the bigwigs of the industries, than for any other variant of Holi celebration. The most celebrated parties are the ones thrown every year by the Kapoor family who initiated the culture of lavish holi celebrations attended by the elites of the industry. In recent time the Bachaans and Akshay and Twinkle Khanna too have created a niche for the holi parties thrown at their residence. Other superstars like Salman Khan and Amir Khan celebrate the occasion with their close plethora of friends and family.

Apart from the star studded parties, the rest of the city gathers together at various points of party and celebrate the day till their toes go sour. Holi is therefore one day when its not the make up and the fake smiles which comes to your rescue but rather the colour filled fists ready for a colour filled riot and as they say bhura na maano holi hai!!!!! Wishing our readers a very happy holi!!