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Festive air, clouds of colored powders, singing and dancing: in India, celebrations for Holi began today, the national festival that marks the arrival of spring and which, in some villages, will continue for almost a week.
Holi is one of India's most famous and popular festivals. It's a Hindu celebration that marks the end of winter, but above all symbolizes the victory of good over evil, rebirth and reconciliation between people. It is known across the world as the "festival of colors", during which people throw colored powders and water at each other, filling streets and squares with a gigantic explosion of color.
The tradition of this ancient Hindu festival, which usually lasts two days, is to cover one's body with colored powders and to color the people and animals one encounters on the street. On the evening before the celebrations begin, Indians gather around huge braziers to symbolically burn Holika, the evil spirit, while songs and dances resound. The festival is celebrated by dancing in the streets to the sound of music and drums, visiting family and friends and sampling traditional sweets such as gujiya, a deep-fried pastry filled with a kind of condensed milk, sugar and flavourings.
The Holi festival draws its inspiration from several legends of Hindu mythology. According to one of the best-known legends, the dark-skinned god Krishna, jealous of his wife Radha's fair complexion, painted her face with color. This is why, during the celebrations, lovers color each other's faces as a sign of love.
This celebration is not only a joyous occasion: it's also a unique moment during the year when we forgive each other and the rigid social structures of caste fade away.
Everyone can take part in the festivities: rich and poor, young and old, men and women, even the authorities. Resisting the joy and color of the Holi festival is virtually impossible!
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