Holi

Holi marks the end of winter and the victory of good over evil. On the night before, bonfires are lit for Holika Dahan. The next morning, people of all ages go out with gulal, coloured powder, and water, and smear and throw colour at friends, family and strangers, so that faces are soon green, pink, yellow and purple. The festival is especially associated with the Braj region around Mathura and Vrindavan, linked with Krishna and Radha. Traditional colours were made from flowers and plants; many people now look for natural or skin-safe powders and rub oil on the face first to make the colour easier to wash off.

Still to be written: Gulal.