Holi is a spring festival that is celebrated as a festival of colours. It originated as a Hindu festival, but now it seems everyone celebrates it! It's the start of spring, a festival that celebrates a new season with good harvests and fertile land. It's also a way of enjoying spring's new colours and putting an end to winter. It's a moveable festival as it occurs at the time of the full moon.
On the eve of Holi bonfires are lit to signify the end of winter. The following day Holi is celebrated by throwing scented powder at each other. There's a lot of squirting of water too! These powders are traditionally made out of neem (Indian lilac), kumkum (made out of saffron and turmeric), haldi (turmeric), bael, (Bengal quince) and other medicinal ayurvedic herbs. Today however a lot of synthetic colours are used.
It's traditional to wear white - which is then covered in powder - here's our shirts after playing Holi - I don't think this will wash out entirely, but will instead form a sort of tie-dye pattern.
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