Holi is one of the most popular festivals in India it will be celebrated on March 10 this year. On this day people throw colours at each other and commemorate the beginning of spring. Though the date changes every year, Holi is marked in the calendar as the day after the full moon in March each year.
Observed for centuries, Holi is one of the major Hindu festivals and is celebrated by Hindus across the world. This festival is also known as the "festival of colours". It is believed that Lord Krishna used to celebrate this festival by playing with colours and it has since then become a tradition.
A day before Holi, large bonfires are lit in a symbolic gesture to burn evil spirits which is called Holika Dahan. People sing hymns and dance around the fire and walk around it three times.
According to mythology, Holi is celebrated after the sister of demon King Hiranyakashyap, Holika was burned to death. As per the Hindu text, King Hiranyakashyap apparently wanted her to burn his son, Prahlad because he didn't worship the demon king.
Holika sat with her nephew Prahlad in her lap because she believed that the fire could not harm her. However, Prahlad due to his utter devotion to Lord Vishnu survived, Holika was charred to death instead.
