Happy Holi 2018! Check out photos, messages and events happening across the country and the world, this festival of colours. (Source: Express Photo by Ashish Parmar)
Holi, the festival of colours is here, and people – not only across the country but around the world – have begun celebrations already. For many, events such as lathmar Holi in Nandgaon, Barsana near Mathura took place on Sunday. Then we saw stunning photos of the widows of Vrindavan playing with colours on the occasion just a couple of days ago, followed by pictures of the famous Dol Jaatra in Santiniketan from Thursday, March 1, a day that is also known as Choti Holi.
Friday, of course, is when the main celebrations of the Festival of Colours actually takes place. Thankfully, declared a holiday by most institutions and companies, the day is usually happily spent in the company of friends, family and loved ones. While smearing each other in vibrant colours form a huge part of enjoying the festival, gorging on sumptuous snacks such as gujiyas and malpuas, also form an equally important part of the celebrations, as does drinking thandai laced with bhang.
Mythologically and socially also, the two days celebrated as Holi – March 1 and 2 – have great significance. While the first day is also observed as Holika Dahan, signified as the victory of good over evil; the second day, aka Badi Holi/Dhulandi, is said to mark the welcoming of spring and a festival of harvest among farmers. There is also an interesting story of Lord Krishna that’s said to have formed the genesis of the festival of colours.
So, as we all come together to celebrate one of India’s most popular festivals – and one that has formed a huge part of Indian representation in pop culture globally – here’s what’s happening on Holi in the country and around the world.
Happy Holi!
This Holi, do you intend to drink bhang? Well, recent medical research have shown that cannabis (bhang) grows brain cells. Bhang is mentioned in Book 11, Hymn 6, Verse 15 of Atharva Veda as a cure for many diseases. Other translations state that bhang is described as a ‘liberator’.
And if you’re going to have bhang, why not use it for spiritual upliftment?
Vrindavan, the land of Krishna’s ‘raas-leela’ with the gopis, is where Holi celebrations start at least a week before the actual festival. Breaking the shackles of tradition, widows started playing Holi with gulal and flowers last year and the tradition continues this year as well. Here are some pictures of Holi celebrations from Vrindavan.
A popular Holi celebration is one started ages ago by the famous Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore at the Visva Bharati University in Santiniketan, Birbhum, Kolkata. Many decades later, the Dol Jaatra at the university continues to be one f the most popular events in the country. See photos of this year's celebrations here.
The harmful chemicals in the gulaal can harm your skin and the direct sunlight that you’re exposed to while frolicking around can also cause damaging effects. To have a safe Holi, follow these expert tips. Read more here.
Have you wished your family and friends this Holi yet? If not, and wondering where to find the most colourful and vibrant photos and messages to send across to them, let's make your life easy and give you a selection of Happy Holi 2018 Photos, Images, Wishes, Quotes, Greetings, SMS, Whatsapp and Facebook Status Messages to choose from.