As you recover from being sopping wet and an experience of what seemed like you just passed through a rainbow, you look up. You see blues, reds, pinks and yellows flying all around you. Droplets of water drizzle down from water jets right next to you. You hear the splashing of toddlers in small water puddles. In the midst of this wonderful chaos of happiness, you can hear the singing of young men and women. You then turn to hear the laughter of children and adults alike. This is the Festival of Colors. This is Holi.

Holi is an ancient tradition that originated in India and is still kept alive to this day. It is usually celebrated near the end of February or early March, depending on when the full moon day of Phalgun (twelfth) month in the Hindu calendar occurs. But, while you may know that it involves coloring your friends and loved ones, do you know some of the more interesting facts that really give this festival its true colors?

With regards to seasons and agricultural traditions, Holi is celebrated to usher in springtime in a quite colorful way. The festival welcomes the return of life back to the earth after the cold, seemingly dead seasons of fall and winter.

Culturally, the origins of Holi are mainly associated with the pastimes of Lord Krishna and his friends. Playing in the forests of Vrindhavan-dham, they sprayed each other with scented waters in pichkaris (water jets) and threw colored powders on one another. The tradition still continues today in Vrindhavan-dham, Barsana-dham, Mathura, and all other places associated with Lord Krishna, as well as in many other regions of India. However, not all regions of India celebrate Holi as vibrantly.

In south Indian states such as Tamil Nadu, while Holi celebrations have caught on in recent times, the festival is not celebrated with the pomp and circumstance as the states in the north (which is usually defined as Andhra Pradhesh and upwards, or the regions surrounding New Delhi). One of the main reasons for this stark contrast in Holi celebrations across the nation is that Holi plays a more major role as a regional festival in the northern states than in the south. The difference in cultures across the two regions is also another contributor to these variations in the celebration. Nevertheless, the Festival of Colors has captured the spirit of people all over the world in its lightheartedness.

As people from India settled in different countries, many brought this festival along with them. Some of the countries where Holi has become a popular celebration include Nepal, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. In the United States, one of the noted celebrations of Holi is in Salt Lake City, Utah, at the ISKCON Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple. It is estimated that roughly eight thousand people come to celebrate Holi here nearly every year! The festival has also been taken up as a tradition in many universities across the United States.

Holi brings together people from all walks of life. It is indulging the smiles of your community and knowing that life is as colorful as you make it. So, whether you decide to celebrate Holi in its birthplace or in the comforts of your hometown, there is only one more thing to say: Holi Hai!