The spring is an awakening of nature, it is the light and joyful moment. In India, the spring is not only a revival of life but also New year. Every year people of India celebrate a special holiday. Holi is a Festival of Colours. Inhabitants begin to prepare for celebration for several weeks before. It is an important holiday for all country. This holiday hasn’t got a particular date. Therefore, already now Indians want to learn when Holi is in 2024. This year Holi will be celebrated on Friday, the 9th of March.
History
It is considered that the holiday has arisen 300 years BC. The origin of this holiday associates with several legends.
The main legend considers that Holi was named after the demoness Holika, the sister of the legendary king Hiranyakashyap. He was known for the rigid temper and despotism. His son Prahlad hasn’t justified hopes of the king. He began to worship Lord Vishnu that has strongly angered the father. Hiranyakashyap made effort to disabuse him, but unsuccessfully.
Having been disappointed in the son, the king has ordered to Holika to kill Prahlad. She has decided to burn the king’s son in a fire because she was invulnerable to fire. Holika has persuaded Prahlad to go to a fire for God’s sake of Vishnu. She has taken him on hands and has brought in the fire. Prahlad prayed to the God and he has heard him. Prahlad left the safe to fire, but Holika has lost forces and has died. The people of India have organized the festival in honor of justice. Since then Indians annually burn an effigy of the sister of the king. Often Holi compares to Shrovetide in Russia. And people don’t foreknow in what day will start Holi in 2024. The similarity of these holidays is obvious, despite distinction of faith and culture.
One more god who is closely connected with festival Holi — Krishna. According to one of the versions of a legend incinerated Kama is embodied in his son. His advances with herdboys have found reflection in festive dance. In general, it is told about advances of the young man to the girl who entices her, distracts and sprinkles with color powder (as the option, pours the tinted water). Later the guy apologizes to the offended girl, and she pours his water. Considering severity of the Indian customs, similar dance is considered very frank for local youth.
Traditions
The history of the creation of a holiday concerns inhabitants less every year, Holi is an excellent opportunity for a holiday and joy. And all Indians ask oneself a question: «when is Holi 2024?».
Besides burning of an effigy, Indians strew each other with paints and tinted water. It is considered that person will be so happy in the next year, as many paints will be on him during the holiday.
Interesting Holidays:
The main drink at a Festival of Colours Holi is Bhang. It is made from the juice or leaves of hemp and mixed with dairy products. It has a lot of versions, in different corners of the country it is cooked differently. Only main ingredients remain invariable.
Each state, the territory or the district of India has own traditions in carrying out a holiday. In West, Bengal action is followed by the recitation of verses and Rabindranath Tagore’s songs. Beauty contests of elephants holds in Jaipur. In Gujarat, young people build a live pyramid on which the younger participant gets and breaks the clay pot with buttermilk suspended between houses at the height of 10 m. Girls who shower young men with paints prevent them from winning. The festival takes the noisiest and solemn forms in Pandzhab, Delhi, and Varanasi.
The holiday comes to end together with a full moon. For the second day, people visit each other.
The colorful holiday becomes popular in other countries of the world. For example, in Russia since 2005 Festivals of Colours arrange every year in many cities. In view of climatic conditions, festival arranges in summer months. In England, the holiday is celebrated since 2013, a year before it began to be carried out in Germany and Holland. The reason for a holiday in these countries the same, as in India – a greeting of spring and farewell to winter. Holi isn’t the only day of joy, smiles, music, and dances, but also a pagan holiday what frequently becomes a reason for disputes in the countries with other religion.
Many tourists specially come to India to visit a festival. Travel companies even make special tours.
Interesting facts
As well as any festival, Holi has several interesting facts:
- Every year during the festival hundreds kilograms paints spend.
- In this day it is possible to criticize the official establishment and principals.
- The real paints are made from dry medical herbs. Their hit on a skin, in buccal and nasal cavities, guarantees to strengthen of immunity against a SARS and ORZ.
- In the European countries chemical paints are often used at festivals, therefore, people with an allergy or asthma should be extremely careful.
Most of the tourists interest how to remove paint from skin, hair, and clothes. If natural paints are used, then you won’t have problems. Paints can be washed away by warm water. If it isn’t possible to wash away paint from hair, then use vegetable oil.
Take on the festival the equipment with protection from water, because people also use the tinted water.
Shops and offices remain closed for all day.
Calendar
The timing of Holi is synchronized with the moon. So, depending on the approach of a full moon, make a calendar, when Holi is in 2024 and next years:
- 2020 – on the 9th March;
- 2021 – on the 29th March;
- 2022 – on the 18th March.
The relation to this holiday at all people is miscellaneous. The only thing that everybody recognize that the Festival of Colours Holi gives unforgettable feelings and great mood. The festival gives a lot of beautiful and bright photos. Going to India in March you should remember about this holiday and learn what the date of Holi is in 2024. If you are squeamish, then remain this day at home. And if you, on the contrary, want to participate in a festival, then surely put on unnecessary clothes and footwear. Be ready that this day all people celebrate, so the paint will be everywhere.
