Celebrating Holi in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India
© Avishek Das/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Image
Painting the town. Happy Holi!
It's Holi; get ready to become a walking rainbow and sprinkle joy wherever you go! This festival of colors, spring, and love is a cornerstone of Indian and Nepali culture. It is also celebrated in other countries with large Hindu populations, such as Bangladesh, Pakistan, the US, the UK, Suriname, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Festivities last for a night and a day, starting on the evening of the last full moon in the Hindu calendar month of Phalguna, which usually falls in March in the Gregorian calendar. As the sun sets, people gather to light bonfires, a ritual known as Holika Dahan, symbolizing the triumph of good over evil. The following day, the streets come alive with people splashing each other in colors, giving everyone a vibrant makeover. Are you ready for the hues of Holi?
Related Images
Members of the Wild Red Flame Mardi Gras Indians in New Orleans, Louisiana
Mars Express image of the icy cap at Mars’ south pole
A carving of artist W.O.J. Nieuwenkamp in the Pura Meduwe Karang temple in Bali, Indonesia
Street art from the Pasadena Chalk Festival 2013, California
The Vochol, a Volkswagen Beetle decorated with traditional Huichol beadwork
Wildflowers in bloom at Lost Dutchman State Park in Arizona
Blue walls of Chefchaouen, Morocco
A Diego Rivera painting to celebrate Labor Day
Bing Today Images
