NEW DELHI – Tens of millions of individuals in South Asia celebrated Holi, the Hindu competition of colours, on Friday by smearing one another with brightly coloured powder, dancing to festive music and feasting on conventional sweets ready for the event.
The raucous spring festival sees Hindus participate in a kaleidoscopic celebration of the top of winter and the triumph of excellent over evil. The competition is a nationwide vacation in India, whereas in Nepal it is a two-day occasion that started Thursday. It is also noticed in different South Asian international locations in addition to among the many Indian diaspora.
Holi has its origins in Hindu mythology and lore and celebrates the divine love between the Hindu god Krishna and his consort Radha, and signifies a time of rebirth and rejuvenation.
Throughout the nation, individuals, largely wearing all white garments, celebrated the competition by hurling coloured powder at one another. Kids, perched on rooftops and balconies, flung water balloons crammed with coloured pigments at passers by.
Teams of younger males additionally used water weapons to chase individuals down in public parks and on the roads, whereas others danced on the streets to music blaring from audio system.
In New Delhi, a rainbow haze hung within the air round a park the place the group of buddies splashed each other with pigmented powder and coloured water.
“It’s time for enjoyable and frolic,” stated Krisha Bedi, a lawyer, whose face was lined with purple, inexperienced and blue colours.
In some locations, individuals hurled marigolds, roses and jasmine petals as an alternative of coloured powder.
Amid huge celebrations within the west Indian metropolis of Ahmedabad, 1000’s of individuals gathered at temple have been sprayed with coloured water from large pipes as they swayed to conventional Gujarati music, clapping over their heads.
Food and drinks are an enormous a part of the festivities. Distributors in elements of India bought thandai, a standard mild inexperienced beverage ready with milk, cardamom and dried fruit, and gujia, a flaky, deep-fried candy pastry full of milk curds, nuts and dried fruit.
One other custom that marks Holi is bhang, an area drink ready with hashish and consumed with milk or water. The drink is linked to Hinduism, significantly to Lord Shiva, and can also be loved throughout different religious festivals within the area. Its consumption is permissible underneath Indian regulation and additionally it is bought at authorities licensed retailers.
In lots of elements of India, individuals additionally mild giant bonfires the night time earlier than the competition to suggest the destruction of evil and victory of excellent. Households collect across the flames to sing, dance and pray to Hindu gods.
In two northern cities, a whole lot of girls celebrated final week by playfully hitting males who teased them as part of ritual with wood sticks. The competition known as “Lathmar Hol,” or Stick Holi.
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