About 1,000 widows living in the holy Indian city of Vrindavan have in recent years celebrated Holi, breaking from a tradition in which they were considered social outcasts, and unfit to take part in the spring festival. Photographer Chandan Khanna pictured the women this year before and after
Use the sliders to see before and after images of them being covered in paint, coloured powder and dye in celebration
by Chandan Khanna / AFP / Getty Images
Happy Holi 2018! Check out photos, messages and events happening across the country and the world, this festival of colours. (Source: Express Photo by Ashish Parmar) Happy Holi 2018! Check out photos, messages and events happening across the country and the world, this festival of colours. (Source: Express Photo by Ashish Parmar)
Holi, the festival of colours is here, and people – not only across the country but around the world – have begun celebrations already. For many, events such as lathmar Holi in Nandgaon, Barsana near Mathura took place on Sunday. Then we saw stunning photos of the widows of Vrindavan playing with colours on the occasion just a couple of days ago, followed by pictures of the famous Dol Jaatra in Santiniketan from Thursday, March 1, a day that is also known as Choti Holi.
Friday, of course, is when the main celebrations of the Festival of Colours actually takes place. Thankfully, declared a holiday by most institutions and companies, the day is usually happily spent in the company of friends, family and loved ones. While smearing each other in vibrant colours form a huge part of enjoying the festival, gorging on sumptuous snacks such as gujiyas and malpuas, also form an equally important part of the celebrations, as does drinking thandai laced with bhang.
Mythologically and socially also, the two days celebrated as Holi – March 1 and 2 – have great significance. While the first day is also observed as Holika Dahan, signified as the victory of good over evil; the second day, aka Badi Holi/Dhulandi, is said to mark the welcoming of spring and a festival of harvest among farmers. There is also an interesting story of Lord Krishna that’s said to have formed the genesis of the festival of colours.
So, as we all come together to celebrate one of India’s most popular festivals – and one that has formed a huge part of Indian representation in pop culture globally – here’s what’s happening on Holi in the country and around the world.
Happy Holi!
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Red, yellow, blue, and green are a few of our favorite colors all year round, but today we’re putting them front and center for an extra special reason.
It’s time for Holi — the age-old festive ritual marking the end of winter, the coming of spring, and symbolically, the triumph of good over evil. Family and friends come together to feast, dance, and laugh together while dousing each other with colored powder and water.
Today’s Guest Doodle by Amrita Marino depicts dhol players amongst a cloud of color. These traditional drummers move from house to house, adding a peppy, musical touch to the day's festivities. The four main powder colors carry with them a piece of symbolism. Red signifies love and fertility; yellow is the color of turmeric, a natural remedy; blue represents the beloved Krishna; green symbolizes spring and new beginnings.
Whether you choose one favorite color or many, here’s wishing everyone a happy Holi!
Early drafts of the Doodle below
New Delhi (CNN) It's the bold image of India most often seen in ad campaigns, films and music videos.
People coming together from all walks of life to sing, dance and splash their friends and family with colored powder and water.
Brands such as Sony and Canon have used the vibrant festival to showcase their products.
British Airways recently joined in the fun with cabin crew members celebrating in cities across India.
Even Chris Martin of the band Coldplay, though he irked some in the process , got involved in Holi traditions in the music video for "Hymn for the Weekend."
But what is Holi and why do Indians celebrate it?
Hindu devotees play with color during Holi celebrations at the Banke Bihari temple on March 27, 2013 in Vrindavan, India.
The beginning of Spring
Holi is a Hindu festival that marks the start of Spring.
Celebrated across India, it's an ancient festival with the first mentions of it dating all the way back to a 4th century poem.
It was even described in detail in a 7th century Sanskrit play called "Ratnavali," written by the Indian emperor Harsha.
"Witness the beauty of the great cupid festival which excites curiosity as the townsfolk are dancing at the touch of brownish water thrown ... Everything is colored yellowish red and rendered dusty by the heaps of scented powder blown all over," wrote Harsh.
Indian students smear colored powder during an event to celebrate the Hindu festival of Holi in Kolkata on February 26, 2018.
How it looks today
Although a Hindu festival, Holi is celebrated by Indians across the country and is a great equalizer.
Children can douse elders with water, women splash men with color and the rules of caste and creed are briefly forgotten with everyone taking part.
The evenings are spent visiting friends and family.
A national holiday, it takes place on the last full moon day of the Hindu lunisolar calendar month, which is usually March.
This year's national holiday falls on Friday, March 2.
The festival takes place a day earlier in the eastern states of West Bengal and Odisha. In some parts of northern Uttar Pradesh state, the festivities take place over a week.
An Indian artist dressed as Hindu god Lord Shiva takes part in a procession ahead of the Holi festival in Amritsar on February 26, 2018.
Mythological roots
The roots of the festival lie in the Hindu legend of Holika, a female demon, and the sister of the demon, King Hiranyakashayap.
Hiranyakashayap believed he was the ruler of the universe and superior to all the gods.
But his son, Prahlad, followed the god Vishnu, the preserver and protector of the universe.
Prahlad's decision to turn his back on his father left Hiranyakashayap with no choice. He hatched a plot with Holika to kill him.
It was a seemingly foolproof plan; Holika would take Prahlad onto her lap and straight into a bonfire. Holika would survive because she had an enchanted shawl that would protect her from the flames.
But the plan failed. Prahlad was saved by Vishnu and it was Holika who died as she was only immune to fire if she was alone. Soon after, Vishnu killed Hiranyakashayap and Prahlad became king.
The moral of the story is that good always triumphs over evil.
Indian Hindu devotees throw colored powder during celebration of Holi Festival at Sriji temple in Barsana in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh on February 23, 2018.
The love story behind Holi
In modern day Holi celebrations, Holika's cremation is often reenacted by lighting bonfires on the night before Holi, known as Holika Dahan.
Some Hindus collect the ashes and smear them on their bodies as an act of purification
Rangwali Holi takes place the next day and is an all-day affair where people throw and smear colored powder on each other.
Indian college girls throw colored powder to one another during Holi festival celebrations in Bhopal on February 28, 2018.
The tradition of throwing colored powder and water is believed to originate from the mythological love story of Radha and Krishna.
Krishna, the Hindu god depicted with dark blue skin, is believed to have complained to his mother about Radha's fair complexion.
To ease her son's sadness, his mother suggests he Radha's skin color by smearing her with paint. It's believed that this is where the custom of smearing loved ones with color during Holi came from.
