Download Holi Festival of color in India

The Festival of Colors
What is Holi?
• A Springtime festival of color
celebrated in India, Nepal, and
Pakistan. (Primarily a Hindu
tradition)
• People celebrate Springtime’s
new colors with a bonfire the
first night, and a colored
powder and scented water
“food fight” the next day.
• Brings together all social
classes, ages, races, etc.
• The mood is exciting, and full
of joy.
• This year it will be held on
March 8th
Holi Celebrations
Holika- the bonfire before the Holi
color celebration
• Days before the festival
people start gathering
wood for the lighting of
the bonfire called Holika
at the major crossroads of
the city. This ensures that
at the time of the actual
celebration a huge pile of
wood is collected.
• Symbolizes the burning of
a demon; the fire shows a
triumph of good over evil.
Colored Powders
•
•
Blue
Dry Color
•
* The Jacaranda flowers can be
dried in the shade and ground to
obtain a beautiful blue powder. The
flowers bloom in summers.
* The blue Hibiscus can be dried
and powdered as well
•
•
Wet Color
•
Crush the berries (fruits) of the
Indigo plant and add to water for
desired color strength. In some
Indigo species the leaves when boiled
in water yield a rich blue.
Dhuleti- the day of color
• Thousands of people gather in the
streets to cover each other in
colored powders and scented
water.
• There is no tradition of holding
gulal or abeer ( types of
powders) and is meant for pure
enjoyment.
• Many also enjoy the traditional
beverage of thandai
• Thandai is most commonly made
of almonds, pistachios, and rose
petals steeped in water.
Questions
• Why do you think Holi is important?
• Do you have any traditions in your family
that relate to color? (weddings, good luck
colors, etc?)
• How does this tradition relate to art? How
could we make art out of the traditions of
Holi?