Holi is one of the most colorful and celebrated festivals observed across all regions of India. It commemorates the triumph of righteousness and religious devotion over evil and egotism, as depicted in the legend of the demon king Hiranyakashipu being defeated by his devotee son Pralahda with the help of the Hindu deity Vishnu. Holi is celebrated with the spraying of colored dyes and powders, lighting of bonfires, and festivities lasting between 3 to 16 days depending on the region in India.

1. Indian Festivals Holi
Holi is one of the most colorful and celebrated festivals observed across all regions
of India. The Festival is very popular due to the widespread use of colors during
the festivities.
Holi has been a traditional celebration to welcome spring as well as give thanks for
an abundant harvest and celebrate soil fertility across all regions of India. Apart
from the more popular activity of spraying of color, the festival is marked with a
series of observances, prayers and culinary festivities.
Holi is also commemorated by devout Hindus as a celebration marking the triumph
of righteousness and religious devotion over evil and egotism. The legend of Holi
originates from the story of Hiranyakashipu, the king of demons who in a fit of
egotistic rage condemned his son Pralahda to death by fire for being a devotee to
the Hindu deity Vishnu. As part of his sentencing, the sister of the king called
Holika who was impervious to fire was to sit with Pralahda in a bonfire and ensure
his death. However as the fire raged Prahlada extolled the virtues of Vishnu, as the
true God of the righteous, which saved him and instead burnt his invincible aunt
Holika in the process. Hindus mark the occurrence as signifying the victory of faith
and righteousness over ego and strength.
Holi – Celebrating the triumph of righteousness in a splash of color

2. Holi therefore takes its name from the deceased villainess of the story Holika.
Around India, the festival is traditionally celebrated with great zeal and fervor with
devotees lighting bonfires, singing hymns and spraying anyone within range with
colored dye as well as colored powder.
Holi is celebrated every year across India during the period called the “Phaluga
Purnima” which is always a full moon and falls on dates between February and
March according to the Gregorian calendar. The Holi Festival is also called many
different names across India such as Phakuwa, Dol Jatra, Jatra, Sigmo and Phagwa
etc.
Different regions of India celebrate Holi festivities at varying lengths. In Northern
India, in cities like Mathura which is the birth place of Lord Krishna, another deity
honored during Holi, the festival is marked by special prayer sessions and
festivities lasting for over 16 days. Most regions however generally celebrate Holi
for a period of 3 to 7 days, with the day of the festival of colors and bonfires
marking the high-point of the celebrations.
While the spraying of colors and the lighting of bonfires are the common threads
of all Holi festivities across India, there are distinct variations in the
commemoration of Holi in many different regions which gives Holi a unique
character across various parts of India.
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