“The many stories behind Holi, Hinduism’s festival of colors”, Religious News Service, March 04, 2026
“Wednesday (March 4) is Holi, the prominent Hindu holiday recognized for its colorful celebrations. Across South Asia and its diaspora, revelers gather in large groups to throw colored powder at one another, dance to Bollywood hits and wash the pigment away with water guns and balloons.
For many, Holi simply marks a farewell of winter and the arrival of spring’s abundant blooms. The day falls on the last full moon, or purnima, in the Hindu lunar month of Phalguna. In modern times, public color runs, large music festivals with DJs and children’s Holi parties invite people of all backgrounds to join in on the fun. But behind the exuberant color play, the holiday’s ancient origins are contested, with various mythologies offering different explanations.
In 17th-century India, Holi was a festival that celebrated agriculture, good spring harvests and fertile land. Some historians have suggested that music, rather than color, was central to the initial Holi celebrations……”
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