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Holi, also known as the Festival of Colours, is a colorful and fun-filled festival with dancing, singing, and throwing of powder paint and colored water. The festival signifies the victory of good over evil, the end of winter, and the arrival of spring in India.
The word Holi is derived from the Sanskrit word Holika, which refers to the evil sister of the demon king Hiranyakashipu in Hindu mythology. The story of Holikau2019s death is celebrated on the eve of the Holi festival in a ritual called Holika Dahan, where people light bonfires to symbolize the victory of good over evil. The next day, people celebrate Holi by throwing coloured powder and water at each other. Holi is also said to have started as a celebration of the love between Lord Krishna and his consort Radha.
Today, Holi is celebrated by people of all religions and cultures in India. Itu2019s a time when people come together to celebrate the spirit of love and brotherhood while setting aside differences. What makes Holi so unique and special is the spirit of it which remains the same throughout the country.
Each Holi colour signifies a special emotion that transcends the brightly coloured faces of people to a sentiment of community, equality, and oneness. From reds to greens to yellows to pinks, the atmosphere is resplendent with all hues, symbolising love, happiness, a feeling of belonging, and togetherness. While red symbolizes love, yellow represents energy and green stands for prosperity. All these colours together compose the entire unified palette of Holi, which stands for colouring and including everyone in the celebration.
Abhijit Paul, by profession is a software professional. He is passionate about photography and cinematography with interest in nature, travel and documentary photography. He loves trekking in Himalayan mountains, exploring remote places and capturing stunning moments; He is fond of capturing beautiful life around us and telling visual stories. His favourite places are hills of Darjeeling, lands of Ladakh and ghats and lanes of Varanasi.
