5 facts about Holi, the Hindu festival of colors in India |
According to the Hindu calendar, Holi falls on the last full moon of winter. Traditionally, it is celebrated in the northern parts of India, but is now popular across the country.
Legend has it that a king of the demons — Hiranyakashyipu — demanded that everyone worship him as a god. But his son, Prahlad, opposed him, which made the king angry. Hiranyakashyipu devised many evil plans to kill his son, but failed miserably.
Finally, the king's sister, Holika, who was a sorceress, decided to make it her mission to kill the boy. She would sit in a giant bonfire with Prahlad and while her magic powers would protect her, the boy would die. However, her plans likewise failed. The boy survived, while the sorceress burned to cinders.
In many regions, the Holi festival heralds the passing of the cold winter season and the advent of warmer weather, but it also celebrates........