India Celebrates Holi Festival of Colors

Written by Reananda Hidayat Permono Completed Master of Science - MS, Petroleum Geology from Curtin University, Perth, Australia.

Millions of Hindus in India celebrated Holi, the festival of colors, on Wednesday across the country with religious gestures and gaiety.

The ancient Indian festival signifies the victory of good over evil. It also indicates the end of winter and the beginning of the spring season.

Participants gathered outside their houses, holding colored powder and smearing them on each other to express happiness and love.

Atul Kulkarni, a Holi reveler, explained the festival represents a fresh beginning and offers the chance to begin new relationships.

Besides throwing colors, participants offer prayers and burn a bonfire to destroy the bad symbolically.

Holi festival is celebrated by throwing bright-colored powder or water at each other.

People, including women and children, splashed colored powder and exchanged pleasantries.

Color-spattered teenagers happily strolled along streets, pelting one another with balloons filled with hues.

Huge congregations were conducted to mark the Holi festival in major cities and towns in the country.

People hued in colors danced to the tunes of Bollywood songs and the beats of drums.

Significant events occurred in Mathura as the birthplace of the Hindu god Krishna.

The Holi festival celebration started 40 days ahead of the main event in the city.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu also greeted people on Holi and expressed their wishes.

Designed by Alexander Rabu