Festivals are a welcome relief from the humdrum and monotony of everyday existence. The people of Uttar Pradesh, for example, add color to their lives by celebrating their festivals with great merriment. When Holi is celebrated, bright colors and happiness soak each and every corner of the state and bring much joy to the lives of the people.
There are certain rituals that are associated with the festival of Holi. A day before Holi, a bright bonfire is lit. It is referred to as Holika or Chhoti Holi. It symbolizes the triumph of good over evil. There is a very interesting story associated with this. The demon king Hiranyakashyap had conspired with his sister Holika to kill his son Prahlad. Prahlad’s only fault was that he was a very big follower of Lord Narayana. However he was not successful in his mission. His son was saved by the grace of God whereas his sister was consumed by the fire.
Holi is the festival of colors and is celebrated on the full moon day in the month of Phagun as per the Hindu calendar. It generally corresponds to the month of March in the English Calendar.
Holi is an important festival observed across the whole India, a variety of activities are held during it. Generally speaking, the festive air of Holi in North India, especially in the Golden Triangle Tourist Circuit (Delhi, Jaipur, Agra) is more vivid and jubilant than that in southern part of India, which is quite solemn and more focused on religion and temple rituals. The celebration is seen in every nook and cranny of these cities, so there will be no worries missing out the event.