What is Holi - all about the festival of flowers and spring festival. Holi festival (India in March) History of Holi festival in India

Today, March 6, India celebrates the brightest and most colorful holiday in the world - Holi! Seeing it with your own eyes and plunging into a colorful whirlpool on the narrow streets of one of the Indian cities is an absolutely unreal and mind-exploding emotion, a feeling of the most powerful energy of the holiday. It is absolutely useless to describe all this in words... Visiting Holi in India is a must for everyone who is in love with this incredible country, as well as for those for whom traveling is not a dull “beach mattress”, but a bright adventure!

This Friday's corporate trend is congratulations on March 8th, I want to congratulate everyone on the colorful spring holiday! Happy Holi, friends!

In today's report, I will tell and show how Holi is celebrated in the small town of Vrindavan (Uttar Pradesh) 200 km from Delhi. This city is considered one of the main places of pilgrimage for followers of Vaishnavism; Krishna spent his childhood here, and the Banke Bihari Temple is the main place for celebrating Holi in India. Before traveling to India for Holi, I read a lot of different tips and reports about traveling to Holi; without preparation and spontaneously, you can make a mistake and not see what you expected.

- Which city should I go to for Holi?
- how to take photos on the street and protect your equipment?
- How does all this happen and what should you be prepared for?

This is what we will talk about today...

What is Holi?

Holi (Hindi होली), also known as Phagwah (or Bhojpuri) is an annual popular Hindu spring festival, otherwise known as the Festival of Colors. Lasts two days in late February - early March. In the Hindu calendar, Holi generally falls on the full moon (known in Hindi as Phalgun Purnima or Poornmashi), i.e. The date of the holiday is floating and differs in different years. On the first day of the festival, closer to night, a bonfire is lit, symbolizing the burning of Holika. On the second day, known as Dhalundi, participants perform a kind of religious procession before dusk, showering each other with powder or water.

Some reports say that they celebrate here for several days. This is true, but the main thing you need to focus on is the main date of the holiday and you need to come exactly on it.

I want to see this:

When you type Holi into Google, you will most likely come across stock images of synchronized paint throwing in the air. There is no such thing in India. These pictures were taken at one of the festivals of colors in Europe or the USA.

This, for example, is the festival of colors in Utah in the States. In India, everything is different and everything is real!

Which city should I go to?

Holi is a Hindu holiday, so you need to go to Hindu cities. In various reports I have come across mentions of Mumbai, Varanas, Ahmedabad, each of these cities has a main place and temple where the religious ritual takes place. The most interesting place for me seemed to be Holi in two small towns 200 km from Delhi - Mathura and Vrindavan, where, according to legend, Krishna spent his childhood. I think it would be cool to go to Varanasi for Holi, the narrow streets near the Ganges are ideal for the coloring process :)

We stayed with friends at a hotel in the town of Mathura, where there is a railway station and it is easier to get here from Delhi at any time of the day or night, and Vrindavan is only 10 kilometers from Mathura, so we decided to get up early in the morning and try to catch an auto-rickshaw to Vrindavan . The reports write that Hindus do not work on this day, and in principle, finding a working taxi can be very difficult; no one wants to wash off the paint from their auto-rickshaw afterwards. In fact, it turned out that there were no problems and at 8 am we left for Vrindavan without any problems.

Preparation for the holiday

My tips:

1. Dress in clothes that you will later throw away without regret. Since the paint will be everywhere, in the smallest details and seams.
2. It is advisable to wear a bandana that will cover your hair and ears (!); taking paint powder out of your ears later is not very pleasant. Although on the street they might rip your bandana off and pour paint on your head. This is fine:)
3. Be sure to wear sunglasses or clear swimming goggles. Powder in the eyes is really unpleasant.
4. Take all paper money and documents out of your pockets, take a minimum of things. Be sure to put your phone in a waterproof case. During the celebration, you will be completely doused with water and more than once.

But the main thing is to properly protect your photographic equipment.
We bought the simplest waterproof cases ($5-15) from some Chinese online hardware store. Naturally, with such a case I won’t risk diving under water, but to protect the camera it’s just right:

The problem is that the case is not suitable for large lenses; it did not suit me, but it fit perfectly on a Canon 650D with Sigma 28-200:

But, IMHO, filming in a case is absolutely inconvenient, so take cling film, tape and scissors with you. With them you can almost perfectly protect your equipment, while fully maintaining the functionality of all the necessary buttons.

I don't recommend changing lenses during the process. Get ready to shoot one thing at a time. Liquid or powder paint can be thrown at any time in any seemingly safe corner, so changing lenses can be very expensive.

I shot with two cameras - a Canon 5D Mark II with a 70-200 mm telephoto and a Fuji X-Pro1 mirrorless camera.
Be sure to wrap the strap tightly, except for the camera itself, so you won’t be able to remove the paint from it later:

BEFORE and AFTER it looked like this in the picture below:

The cameras handled the full day of shooting perfectly. A regular protective filter was screwed onto the lenses, which I wiped many times with the edge of a T-shirt moistened with water. Be sure to bring a bottle of water with you to clean the lens and eyes where the powder gets in.

There is also GoPro, but it is already protected by a case:

Well, let's go to the holiday?!
The main rule on the road is that while in an auto-rickshaw, do not relax and do not lose your vigilance. You will be sprayed with paint insidiously and right in the eye if you gape! From around the corner, from the window of an oncoming auto-rickshaw, whatever!

There are three types of paints:

1. Powder. This is the cheapest option, usually a sachet costs 10 rupees. This option is available to everyone, it is happily scattered along the streets, almost every passerby you meet will come up to you, generously spreading the powder on your face and neck with the words Happy Holi and a kind smile

2. Liquid paint. This option is mainly used from the upper floors or from hydro-pistols.

3. Gel paint in cans. This is a very unpleasant mass, but it is the most expensive option and ordinary Indians do not often spend money on it.

But there is another paint option, the most insidious, but it is rare, more about it below :)

This is a page from the in-flight magazine on an AirIndia aircraft. Even on board you can buy paints, gloves and a special tool for splashing colors on the Holi holiday; in the lower right corner there is some kind of festive jewelry option:

A motor rickshaw in Vrindavan will take you to the city center, but then you need to walk another 15 minutes to the Banki Bihari temple. This is where the fun begins!

To fully enjoy the holiday, you need to completely immerse yourself in the atmosphere, relax and unwind. You are painted and you paint everyone! Smile and congratulate everyone!

From the upper floors they pour liquid paint or just water:

Come on, son, charge those white guys!

Oh yes, well done!

Look at these faces, emotions. It's such a crazy atmosphere here! Real India!!!

The religious ritual itself takes place in the Banki Bihari temple. Come here as early as possible at 9-10 in the morning, because later the number of people becomes unrealistically huge, on the one hand it’s a crush where you need to be extremely vigilant and careful, but on the other hand it’s just crazy energy inside the temple!

You can photograph everything except the altar; they monitor this and make comments. You can also go up to the second floor, be sure to go up! This is something absolutely unreal in sensations and emotions!

We friends got lost in the crowd around noon and someone covered them with green paint! This is real cruelty. If this entire colorful mix can, in principle, be washed off within 2-3 days, then the brilliant green remains very persistent, especially in the hair:

You can only hide and rest in some kind of courtyard or gateway, but even here you can suddenly be covered by some boy with a bag of green paint:

And in the afternoon it all ends, in the afternoon no one throws paint anymore and the city returns to its normal rhythm of life!
Vrindavan is located on the river, you should definitely take a boat ride at sunset - it’s great for relaxing and putting your thoughts in order after such a crazy morning:

Happy Holi, friends!!!

See more reports from India

Holi is a Hindu festival that symbolizes the onset of spring and the beginning of a new year. It is also called the Festival of Colors because during this period the whole country is literally drowning in color.

How is the holiday going?

It is a major festival in India, especially in the north, but is also celebrated in many countries around the world.

The holiday brings people of all classes and castes together; these days there is no inequality.

Children love this festival very much, they have fun and celebrate with everyone.

Adults and old people also take part in it with pleasure.

People throw paint at each other.

Another popular option is to launch colorful paint directly into the air.

This special holiday paint is called “gulal” or “abir”.

Some people throw liquid paint called "rank".

A kaleidoscope of bright colors leaves a lasting impression on tourists.

In addition to wearing a helmet, children also throw water balloons or shoot water pistols.

As a result, at the end of the holiday, everything around is covered with paint.

The air becomes thick and dense due to the powder.

After the holiday, the asphalt remains covered in multi-colored stains.

Paint can even be found on the walls of buildings.

Origin of the holiday

Holi is not only the Festival of Colors.

This is primarily a celebration of fertility and the welcoming of spring.

According to legend, the holiday was named after the demon Holika. The son of King Hiranyakasipu Prahlada worshiped the god Vishnu. King Holika's sister, who did not burn in the fire, persuaded the guy to enter the fire in the name of her faith. As a result, to everyone’s surprise, she burned down, and Prahlada was saved by Vishnu. Therefore, on the first day of the holiday, an effigy of a demon is burned at the stake.

That is, the festival celebrates the victory of Good over Evil.

People, all painted, dance to the sound of a drum and sing folk songs.

At the end of the holiday, all its participants are covered with paint from head to toe.

You'll be lucky if you don't get any paint in your eyes!

Holi- folk festival of colors, holiday in India. One of the oldest festivals, it is mentioned in ancient Sanskrit texts and described in detail in the Vedas. It marks the arrival of spring, symbolizes the expulsion of evil and the rebirth of life. Bengali New Year according to the Hindu calendar. The festival of colors, Holi, is celebrated on the day after the full moon in early March every year and lasts for three days. In 2018, Holi is celebrated on March 2.

Legends of Holi. One of the most important Indian festivals in India is Holi, which is celebrated throughout the country. The emergence of the holiday was preceded by several legends. According to one legend, the name of the Holi holiday comes from the name of the demoness Holika.

Prahlada is a Hindu saint, a character in the puranic texts of Hinduism, where he is described as an exalted devotee of Vishnu. Prahlada was born in Satya Yuga in the family of the great asura Hiranyakasipu, who subjected him to severe persecution. In one of his attempts to kill Prahlada, Hiranyakasipu had him sit on the funeral pyre along with his sister named Holika. Holika had a special blessing according to which she could not be burned by fire. Prahlada simply began chanting the names of Vishnu and nothing happened to him, while Holika was consumed by flames. This is the event that is celebrated in the Hindu festival of Holi. The story of Prahlad is seen as a symbol of the victory of good over evil and hence bonfires are traditionally lit on Holi.

Legends and meaning of Holi. This day is also associated with the immortal love between God Krishna (an incarnation of Vishnu) and Radha. According to legend, young Krishna complained to his mother Yashoda about why Radha was so light and he was so dark. Yashoda advised him to paint Radha's face with colorful powder and see how her complexion changes. Radha and her gopi friends became angry and attacked Krishna with sticks. He ran away from them to his native Nandagram (Nandgaon). This game became a tradition that still exists in Barsana and Nandgaon.

The Legend of Kamadeva. Another legend is associated with God Shiva, one of the main Hindu gods. One day when God Shiva was meditating, Kamadeva, the God of love, decided to test his resolve and appeared to Shiva in the form of a beautiful nymph. But Shiva recognized Kamadeva and became very angry. In a fit of rage, he shot fire from his third eye and incinerated Kamadeva. Later Kamadeva incarnated as the son of Lord Krishna. And now many people worship Kamadeva during Holi by offering mango flowers and sandalwood paste to him.

How it goes. The Indian festival of colors, Holi, begins on the night of the full moon. On the first day of the festival, closer to night, a fire is lit to burn a huge effigy or decorated tree symbolizing the destruction of the wicked Holika, after which the festival was named, and cattle are also driven through the fire and walked on coals. The ash from the Holi fire is believed to bring good luck.

Holi is celebrated with colorful parades accompanied by folk songs, dances and general fun. Participants shower each other with bright coloring powders - gulal, made from finely ground corn flour and colored red, green, pink and yellow (however, artificial dyes are also used nowadays) and douse each other with water. Everyone is included - without distinction between caste, class, age or gender.

On the second day - Dhalundi, the spring festival of Holi continues with visiting each other and drinking a special national drink - bhang. The drink is based on dairy products and hemp juice or leaves. There are many varieties of bhang: based on yogurt, milk, spices, almonds and other additives.

The Holi holiday is very popular not only in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh where it is known as Dolyatra or Boshonto Utshob (literally "Spring Festival"), but also in countries with large Hindu diasporas, such as Suriname, Guyana, South Africa , Trinidad, UK, USA, Mauritius and Fiji.

Recently, this holiday has also been celebrated in Ukraine. It is held in the summer, since our natural characteristics do not allow it to be held in the spring, and it is called the Holi Festival of Colors. The festival includes parkour and freerunning competitions, natural paint fights and a water battle.

Photo: iStock/Global Images Ukraine

Holi is an annual, one of the most popular Hindu spring festivals, many call it the Festival of Colors, which is held in India. The colorful holiday is celebrated at the end of February - beginning of March and lasts two days. Holi is filled with spring light and a rich variety of colors.

Holi is generally celebrated on the full moon, called Phalgun Purnima in Hindi. People of all ages directly take part in the celebration of the Festival of Colors. Spring, when the weather presents its vagaries, even in India it is changeable and at this time such ailments as colds, acute respiratory infections and ARVI spread. Therefore, sprinkling powders of medicinal herbs such as neem, kumkum, haldi, bilva and others on a festive occasion has a positive effect on the body. Even the sacred healers of Ayurveda recommend everyone to attend the Festival of Colors.

In fact, there are many legends associated with the origin of the holiday. The most popular one is that the Holi holiday originated from the name of the demoness Holika. The son of the evil king Prahlad, worshiped Vishnu, and nothing could dissuade him. Then the king's sister, Holika, who does not burn in fire, persuaded him to go to the fire in the name of God. To everyone's surprise, Holika was burned, but Prahlada came out unharmed. In memory of these events, an effigy of Holika is burned on the eve of Holi. It is this holiday that the Slavs consider to be related to Maslenitsa.

All two days you can count on receiving guests and go on a visit yourself, where you will definitely be treated to sweet dishes made from fruits, milk and sugar. Girls are given bright gifts and outfits. The next morning, tens of millions of Indians will throw handfuls of colored powder into the air - this symbolizes the passing of the worries of the past year and new hopes for a fertile harvest. It’s as if all the streets are covered with rainbow dust, easily flying off the wheels of cars and settling on clothes with every step. This colored dust is everywhere, both on the steps of temples and on the surface of reservoirs. There is so much of it that after a short period of time it becomes difficult to breathe.

The joyful festival of Holi brings together all the people of India. And it doesn’t matter whether you are rich or poor, an official or a commoner, everyone feels that they are a part of a single whole. Next, everyone begins to douse themselves with water tinted with colored powder, in six bright colors - red, green, blue, fiery, yellow and silver. They pour on everything that can move and move; on the street you can see crazy-colored cows or dogs in incredible colors. Everything is painted as if painted by drunken avant-garde artists.

You cannot yawn on Holi; if someone sees you, then that person is allowed to bathe in a dirty puddle. And, as a rule, they are not offended by this, because everyone is already pumped up with the traditional festive hemp drink Bhang, which allows Indians to forget about their difficult life and truly enjoy the Festival of Colors. It is not permissible to express your anger and resentment on Holi; all colors are washed off very well. And for those tourists who want to take part in the holiday, it is better to wear something worse and leave all their valuables in the room. As a rule, tourists become easy prey for pickpockets and petty thieves, because it costs nothing to check your pockets in a crowd.

Services for tourists that will allow you to save or get more for the same money:

• Insurance: the journey begins with choosing a profitable insurance company, allowing you to choose the best option for your requirements;
• Flight: Aviasales looks for the best tickets, you can also find airline promotions and sales in Aviadiscounter;
• Accommodation: first we choose a hotel through (they have the largest database), and then see which site is cheaper to book it through RoomGuru;
• Movements: You can order an inexpensive transfer to the airport and back, you can also rent a car on (Economybookings). In some countries, renting a car may be cheaper than public transport (for example, in Portugal);
• Entertainment: book excursions from local Russian-speaking guides around the world at

Holi is one of the most famous Hindu festivals in the world. Other names of the festival are Phagwah, Bhojpuri, Festival of Colors. In the world it is better known as the Festival of Colors. This holiday is a Hindu spring holiday; you can even compare it to some extent with the Slavic Maslenitsa.

Initially, Holi was a religious holiday, closely associated with Hindu beliefs. However, today it is celebrated by representatives of different faiths, as in other countries Holi is a beautiful and literally colorful festival. The most famous tradition of this holiday is the colorful paints that all those gathered shower each other with. Often, areas for large crowds of people are organized specifically for this purpose. Those who come to the holiday receive multi-colored powder and water. Once the festival begins, this powder is scattered around, turning everyone gathered in different colors.

The festival is loved in many countries around the world precisely because it is very unusual, original, fun and positive. Every year he conquers more and more cities and countries around the world. Over the past few years, it has been developing greatly in Russia, where on a certain day a noisy festival is held, after which on the streets you can meet people literally decorated with bright colors.

When is Holi "Festival of Colors" in 2017

If you just want to visit Holi for the first or next time, and are interested in when the holiday will take place, then you should know that Holi will take place this year March 13 or from 13 to 14 March. However, the organizers may change the dates of the festival, since in countries where the festival is not tied to religious dates, it may be postponed. Since in Russia and some other countries it is still quite cold in March, Holi is often held closer to summer or in the summer months.

Holi Festival of Colors video