Holi Hindu Festival 2022: When is it and what is it about?

In 2022, March 18th marks the first day of the Hindu celebration of Holi. A two day festival, Holi is one of the most important occurrences of the year in Hindu culture. It signifies the victory of purity over evil, manifested by Lord Vishnu’s defeat of Hiranyakashipu. In some regions of India, the festival can last for up to a week.

Holi festival has several monikers, including the Festival of Spring, the Festival of Love and the aforementioned Festival of Colours. Its origins date back to around 300 AD, with the first known mention of it being in the Puranas (an ancient Hindu collection of texts).

On the first day, known as “Choti Holi” or “Holika Dahan”, bonfires are lit (typically in the evening) to ward off evil and to represent the burning of the demon known as Holika. The second day is called “Dhulendi” or “Rangwali Holi” and contains traditions more synonymous with Holi, such as playing with coloured powder.

The use of colours is probably the most well-known aspect of Holi. Each colour represents a certain virtue – for example, red symbolises love, while green represents birth and the beginning of a new harvest season. Almost every primary colour is used and they all have their own meaning.

Playing with the coloured powder can be chaotic at times – with so much water and powder being thrown around, it’s always messy! Sometimes, they may also include water guns and balloons – it’s also a free-for-all, with people encouraged to drench anyone they can find, regardless of their status. If you ever wanted an excuse to throw a water balloon at your boss, today is the day to do it!

Holi also has a set of traditional foods that are eaten on this day. They include pancakes (called malpua in Hindu culture), pakoras and thandai (a drink made with milk, peppercorns and almonds).

While Holi originates from India, it is popular celebration in several other countries, such as Nepal, Suriname and Malaysia. Notably, it is also celebrated in parts of the USA.