Holi 2024 | What is the Hindu festival of colours, when does it take place and where to celebrate in the UK?

It’s the night before Holi, the Hindu festival of colours, love and spring, and for many of the Hindu faith, it means a chance for families and communities to come together for a Holika Dahan - a religious ritual in front of a bonfire where many pray for their internal evil to be destroyed, much as Holika, the sister of the demon king Hiranyakashipu, was killed in the fire.

March 25 2024 marks the first day of Holi, the Hindu festival celebrated primarily in India and Nepal, though it has also gained popularity in other parts of the world with significant Indian diaspora populations. The festival signifies the triumph of good over evil, the arrival of spring, and the end of winter. It also serves as an occasion for people to play and laugh, forgive and mend broken relationships, and is celebrated with much enthusiasm and joy across the country.

The first day of the festival is celebrated as Rangwali Holi – a free-for-all festival of colours, where people smear each other with colours and drench each other. Water guns and water-filled balloons are also used to play and colour each other. Anyone and everyone is fair game, friend or stranger, rich or poor, man or woman, children and elders. The frolic and fight with colours occur in the open streets, open parks, outside temples and buildings.

Groups carry drums and other musical instruments, go from place to place, sing and dance. People visit family, friends and foes to throw coloured powders on each other, laugh and gossip, and then share Holi delicacies, food and drinks. Some customary drinks include bhang (made from cannabis), which is intoxicating. In the evening, after sobering up, people dress up and visit friends and family.

The festival also has cultural significance among various Hindu traditions of the Indian subcontinent. It is associated with legends such as the divine love of Radha and Krishna, and the story of Hiranyakashipu, Prahlad, and Holika provides the basis for the bonfire on the eve of Holi.

What are some customs shared during Holi?

Many customs can be shared during Holi, and not just water fights and the throwing/smearing of paint on one another. A big part of the festival is the idea of forgiveness and reconciliation; Holi has an emphasis on letting go of past grievances. People seek to forgive and forget, and to repair broken relationships. It's the ideal time when enemies turn into friends and people embrace one another with goodwill.

It's also customary for people to wear white clothes at the beginning of Holi. The white fabric serves as a canvas for the vibrant colours thrown during the festival, symbolizing unity and peace among participants.

Preparing and sharing sweets and festive foods like gujiya, mathri, and thandai is a significant part of Holi. Families and friends exchange these as gestures of goodwill and celebration.

In some areas, Holi is associated with special prayers and rituals dedicated to gods and goddesses, such as Lord Krishna and Radha, celebrating divine love and the triumph of devotion. Traditional and folk songs and dances are performed, celebrating the themes of Holi, often telling the stories of Holi from mythology, such as the legend of Radha and Krishna, or the story of Prahlad and Holika.

Is there anywhere in the United Kingdom where I can celebrate Holi with other people?

Indeed there is - and the Ministry of Colours has provided information on where and when Holi celebrations will be taking place throughout the United Kingdom this year, should you wish to celebrate with your local community.