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Holi 2015: Festival Of Colors Celebrates Spring (SONGS, PHOTOS)

The Festival Of Colors Welcomes Spring
HuffPost Religion Editors
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Holi (also known as Dol Jatra, Basantotsav) is the Hindu festival of colors. It is celebrated at the end of the winter season, on the last full moon day of the lunar month Phalguna. In 2015, Holi will begin on March 6.

Holi is observed with great fanfare by Hindus all over the world. Holi celebrations begin on the eve of the festival with bonfires and prayers. On the day of Holi, people throw colored powder and liquids at each other. A common greeting during this time is, "Happy Holi."

Holi celebrations are particularly riotous in India as social rules are relaxed. Colored water is squirted on passers-by, and people are dunked into muddy water. Many people consume bhang, an intoxicating drink made from the female cannabis plant. Social barriers are broken as people of all ages, genders, castes, and wealth gather together and celebrate the festival. In fact, it is said that one can get away with almost any kind of behavior on the day of Holi by saying "bura na mano holi hai," or, "don't mind, it is Holi." In addition to the boisterous nature of the festival, this is a time for family members to get together, give gifts, eat special foods and decorate their homes. Overall, this is one of the most spirited and beloved festivals of the Hindu calendar.

The celebration of Holi is recounted in Hindu sacred texts and stories that have passed from generation to generation. Holi commemorates the miraculous story of Prahlada, a young boy and a devoted follower of the Hindu god Vishnu.

According to Hindu texts, Prahlada was born to Hiranyakashipu, the king of demons. Unable to tolerate Prahlada's devotion to Lord Vishnu, Hiranyakashipu attempted to kill his son several times by poisoning him and throwing him from the top of a mountain but failed each time. Finally, he ordered his son to sit on a pyre on the lap of his demoness sister, Holika, who was protected from fire burning her. Prahlada accepted his father's command and survived unharmed from the fire while Holika burned to death.

The burning of Holika gave rise to the tradition of lighting bonfires on Holi eve. Holi also celebrates the immortal love of the divine couple, Radha and Krishna. And Holi immortalizes the story of Kama, the Hindu god of love, his incineration to death by Lord Shiva, restoration and his love and sacrifice for all. These are three of the most popular stories, and as with most Hindu festivals, the stories vary slightly in different parts of India.

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Before You Go

Holi 2015
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A Nepalese boy dances during celebrations marking Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, in Kathmandu, Nepal, Thursday, March 5, 2015. The festival also marks the advent of spring. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(02 of17)
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Indians dance in artificial rain during celebrations marking Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, in Hyderabad, India, Thursday, March 5, 2015. The festival also marks the advent of spring. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(03 of17)
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An elderly Nepalese woman stands with her face smeared with colored powder during celebrations marking Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, in Kathmandu, Nepal, Thursday, March 5, 2015. The festival also marks the advent of spring. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(04 of17)
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Tourists play with colored powder during celebrations marking Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, in Kathmandu, Nepal, Thursday, March 5, 2015. The festival also marks the advent of spring. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(05 of17)
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People put colored powder on the face of a girl as they celebrate Holi in Kolkata, India , Thursday, March 5, 2015. Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, will be celebrated on March 6. (AP Photo/ Bikas Das) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(06 of17)
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An Indian schoolgirl closes her eyes as another applies color on her face during celebrations marking Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, at a school in Ahmadabad, India, Thursday, March 5, 2015. People across the country will celebrate Holi on March 6. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(07 of17)
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A teacher throws colored powder on school children during celebrations marking Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, at a school in Ahmadabad, India, Thursday, March 5, 2015. People across the country will celebrate Holi on March 6. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Indian Hindu widows and others play with colored powder as part of Holi celebrations at the Meera Sahabhagini Widow Ashram in Vrindavan, India, Tuesday, March 3, 2015. The widows, many of whom at times have lived desperate lives in the streets of the temple town, celebrated the Hindu festival of colors at the ashram. (AP Photo/Tsering Topgyal) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(09 of17)
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Indian Hindu widows dance with Bindeshwar Pathak, founder of non-governmental organization Sulabh International, as they celebrate Holi at the Meera Sahabhagini Widow Ashram in Vrindavan, India, Tuesday, March 3, 2015. The widows, many of whom at times have lived desperate lives in the streets of the temple town, celebrated the Hindu festival of colors at the ashram. (AP Photo/Tsering Topgyal) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(10 of17)
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Students at the Rabindra Bharati University, named after Indiaâs first Noble laureate Rabindra Nath Tagore, hug each other as they play with colors ahead of spring festival Holi in Kolkata, India, Monday, March 2, 2015. (AP Photo/ Bikas Das) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Students at the Rabindra Bharati University, named after Indiaâs first Noble laureate Rabindra Nath Tagore, play with colors ahead of spring festival Holi in Kolkata, India, Monday, March 2, 2015. (AP Photo/ Bikas Das) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(12 of17)
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Participants place colored powder on a woman's face as they join celebrations of the Holi festival in suburban Pasay, south of Manila, Philippines, on Sunday, March 1, 2015. The event is led by Indian nationals as they mark Holi, a Hindu spring festival also known as festival of colors. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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AMRITSAR, INDIA - MARCH 5: Devotees play with colours during a religious procession on the eve of Holi Festival at the Durgiayana Temple on March 5, 2015 in Amritsar, India. Festival of colors, fun and frolic Holi bridges the social gap and renew sweet relationships. It is also called Fagun, Vasant Utsav or spring festival as it falls on Phalgun Purnima which comes in February end or early March. (Photo by Sameer Sehgal/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) (credit:Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
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NEW DELHI, INDIA - MARCH 5: Students play with colors on the eve of Holi Festival on March 5, 2015 in New Delhi, India. Festival of colors, fun and frolic Holi bridges the social gap and renew sweet relationships. It is also called Fagun, Vasant Utsav or spring festival as it falls on Phalgun Purnima which comes in February end or early March. (Photo by Raj K Raj/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) (credit:Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
(15 of17)
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NEW DELHI, INDIA - MARCH 5: Students play with colors on the eve of Holi Festival on March 5, 2015 in New Delhi, India. Festival of colors, fun and frolic Holi bridges the social gap and renew sweet relationships. It is also called Fagun, Vasant Utsav or spring festival as it falls on Phalgun Purnima which comes in February end or early March. (Photo by Raj K Raj/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) (credit:Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
(16 of17)
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NEW DELHI, INDIA - MARCH 5: Students play with colors on the eve of Holi Festival on March 5, 2015 in New Delhi, India. Festival of colors, fun and frolic Holi bridges the social gap and renew sweet relationships. It is also called Fagun, Vasant Utsav or spring festival as it falls on Phalgun Purnima which comes in February end or early March. (Photo by Raj K Raj/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) (credit:Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
(17 of17)
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The festival of Holi is a religious festival. People sing bhajans of Radha and Lord Krishna on this day and it marks the beginning of Spring Season in india.Here you can see a gathering of people singing folk songs during Holi (Festival of Colors), India. (credit:Poras Chaudhary via Getty Images)
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