Holi 1st moon of Phalguna

The festival originated from the ancient city of Kashyapa-Pura (Multan) in Pakistan, known to ancient Greeks under the name of kaspapyros) meaning the "city of Kashyapa", in the ancient "Prahladpuri temple" according to the Puranic tradition.

The holiday celebrates the arrival of spring, the end of winter, the blossoming of love and for many it is a festive day for meeting others, playing and laughing, forgetting and forgiving, and repairing relationships broken. The festival is also an invocation for a good spring harvest season.

It lasts for one night and one day, beginning on the evening of Purnima (full moon day) falling in the Hindu calendar month of Phalguna, which falls around mid-March in the Gregorian calendar. The first evening is known as Holika Dahan (burning of the demon Holika) or Chhoti Holi and the next day as Holi, Rangwali Holi, Dol Purnima, Dhuleti, Dhulandi, Ukuli, Manjal Kuli, Yaosang, Shigmo or Phagwah, Jajiri.

The celebrations begin the night before with a Holika Dahan where people gather, perform religious rituals in front of the bonfire and pray for their internal evil to be destroyed as Holika, the sister of the demon king Hiranyakashipu, was killed in the fire. 

The next morning is celebrated with a free-for-all color festival, where people smear colors and drench each other. Water guns and water-filled balloons are also used to play and color each other. Anyone and everyone is fair game, friend or stranger, rich or poor, man or woman, children and the elderly.

The frolic and struggle with colors occurs on open streets, parks, outside temples and buildings. Groups carry drums and other musical instruments, go from place to place, sing and dance. People visit family, friends and enemies come together to throw colored powders at each other, laugh and chat, then share delicacies, food and drinks. In the evening, people dress up and visit friends and family.