Holi Festival Jaipur

Holi Festival Jaipur - the festival of colors - is the most fun-filled Hindu festival. It's an occasion that brings in joy and mirth, fun and play, music and dance, and, of course, lots of bright colors! Every year it is celebrated on the day after the full moon in early March and glorifies good harvest and fertility of the land. It is also time for spring harvest and riotous fun. Holi is also celebrated as 'Vasant Mahotsava' and 'Kama Mahotsava'.

During Holi, squirting colored water on passers-by, dunking friends in mud pool amidst teasing and laughter, getting intoxicated on bhaang and reveling with companions is perfectly acceptable. In fact, on Holi, you can get away with almost anything by saying, "Don't mind, it's Holi!" (Hindi = Bura na mano, Holi hai.). Draped in white, people throng the streets and smear each other with bright hued powders and squirt coloured water on one another through pichkaris (big syringe-like hand-pumps), irrespective of caste, color, race, sex, or social status. Whatever be the choice of colour, nobody remains in their original state at the end of the play. And everybody takes delight looking at the other. Really, the other name of the festival is FUN.

Days before Holi, the markets get flooded with the colours of every hues. This aptly sets the mood of the people till the actual day of Holi. It is such a colourful and joyous sight to watch huge piles of bright red, magenta, pink, green and blue everywhere on the streets. Buying those colours seems as you are bringing joys and color to your home and into your life.

And, it is not just children, but the young and the old alike who take delight in this joyous festival of colours. Seniors too, move in their groups. Their enthusiasm is at times greater than that of their children as they forget the bars of age and follow their hearts. To youth, Holi gives a chance to explore the heights of their enthusiasm as they climb the human pyramids to break the pot of buttermilk and to express their love to their beloved by applying colour.
For, Holi knows no bars, everybody feels it is their right to enjoy and enjoy they do. Songs, dance, drinks, food everything goes in excess when it is time for Holi. It can be said, "Life turns Colourful" when it is time for Holi.

The Legend Behind Holi
The legend of Holi begins with the demon king Hiranyakashapu who wanted to kill his own son. Hiranyakashapu was an enemy of Lord Vishnu and came to know about the devotion that his son Prahlaad has for Lord Vishnu. This made him angry and he tried many a time to kill his son which ultimately resulted in failure every time. Finally, he approached his sister Holika to help him kill Prahlaad. Holika had a boon from Lord Brahma that she would never be harmed by fire. Hence she took Prahlaad in her lap and set fire to herself. However, Lord Vishnu saved Prahlaad and Holika was killed by the fire for misusing the boon. The legend has slowly turned into a festival to mark the triumph of good over evil.

Holi Festival in Jaipur
Jaipur is known as the Pink city and is the capital of Rajasthan. Jaipur has a different way of celebrating every festival. Rajasthan is also known as 'Rangeelo Rajasthan" due to its colourfulness and enthusiasm in celebrating every festival. On the occasion of Holi, the people of Jaipur decorate their houses with colourful flowers and draw rangolis in the house near their entrance. Not just the house, even the city is decorated beautifully.
When tourists enter Jaipur during this occasion, they can witness the city adorned in rich colours and decorative items. People make different sweets such as Papdi, Gujiya, sweet Shakarpara and many other tasty dishes. Both the young and old people are filled with excitement and enthusiasm when the buy watercolours, Gulaal or dry colours and pichkaris for their Holi celebrations.

Holi Dahan and Colour Holi in Jaipur
Holi is a two-day celebration, the first day being Holika Dahan and the second day being the day people play with colours and is known as Dhulandi. One the day of Holika Dahan people start a bonfire as a symbol of burning Holika and removing evil from the earth. People worship the bonfire as they believe it will bring them prosperity and they can remove evil from their houses and lives.
On the second day, people play with colours along with their friends and family. There are many Holi events in Jaipur where people can come together and play with people they might not even know. People can find many tour packages that specify the celebration of Holi in Jaipur.