***CONFIRMED*** ***OFFICIAL HAPPY HOLI THREAD***

[Jzero]

Happy Holi Day to all our friends. Outside my office we had a big gulal fight

For those who don't know:
The festival of Holi symbolizes the victory of good over evil. It also marks the advent of spring and people celebrate it joyously with a splash of color. It is the most boisterous of all Hindu festivals, observed all over India, especially the North. It heralds the end of winter and the beginning of spring. The night before the full moon, crowds of people gather together and light huge bonfires to burn the residual dried leaves and twigs of the winter. People throw colored water with pichkaari (a traditional device to spray colored water from a distance keeping oneself safe), gubbare (balloons filled with water to throw on others from a distance) and gulal (colored powder) at each other and make merry. Singing and dancing add to the gaiety of the occasion.

*Holi is not necessarily a Hindu festival (see below post from The_Good_Guy).
**Holi may be a Hindu festival that is celebrated by most everyone regardless of their religion (see below post from WW).

 

[venk]

I've always wondered about this holiday. Its Hot all year round in India, whats the differance between winter and spring ?

 

[Jzero]

<< I've always wondered about this holiday. Its Hot all year round in India, whats the differance between winter and spring ? >>


I dunno...I'm not Indian and I work in PA. I just happen to work with a large number Indian people, so I get to participate in festivals and such.
Although I would presume that further north towards Kashmir, there is a pretty significant change between winter and spring...?

 

[thereds]

Some dudes at UF celebrating holi

here

 

[Ameesh]

outside your office?! it must be a mess out there and everyone coming in covered gulal, lol that sounds fun i havent done that since i was akid.

 

[Jzero]

<< outside your office?! it must be a mess out there and everyone coming in covered gulal, lol that sounds fun i havent done that since i was akid. >>



It was funny, what with all the people walking and driving by staring at us all covered in pink and green and blue It was pretty messy. I still have to wash off

 

[isasir]

Happy Holi (or Phagwah, for my fellow West Indians, if there's any here...)

I'll be going to the huge Holi parade tomorrow in Queens, NY. It should be fun, although supposedly we can't use powder this year due to anthrax concerns (which I think is BS, but whatever.)

 

[The Stigenator]

Holi isnt a hindu festival.. sure its celebrated mostly by hindu's but its also celebrated by muslims and christians. Its not a religious festival, rather a cultural festival. As far as I know there is no praying to god before going around splashing colors.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

I'm Christian and I've never heard of Holi. I'm Protestant, so maybe other sects of the church know about it. Sounds like fun though

 

[Jzero]

<< Holi isnt a hindu festival.. sure its celebrated mostly by hindu's but its also celebrated by muslims and christians. Its not a religious festival, rather a cultural festival. As far as I know there is no praying to god before going around splashing colors. >>


Doh! I just cut-and-pasted what was sent to me when I asked what Holi celebrated.

 

[WW]

<< Holi isnt a hindu festival.. sure its celebrated mostly by hindu's but its also celebrated by muslims and christians. Its not a religious festival, rather a cultural festival. As far as I know there is no praying to god before going around splashing colors. >>



say what?? of course Holi is a Hindu festival...but it's also a time of coming together and celebrating, and a lot of fun, so in friendly communities everyone can participate. Kind of like the Christmas season has become here...more about the 'fun' stuff (santa, gifts, etc) than the religious.

see here for more details:

more Holi info