This is one of the most popular and colorful festival celebrated in India. The underlying thought is that on this day let us forget all our distinction of caste, creed, color and even economic standards and all should merge themselves in the unique stream of empathy and solidarity. Hence it is marked by gaiety and real gay abandon. It comes when the cold winter months give way to summer. The crops have been cut, threshed and stored or sold away. The farmer and his wife are free and money is in hand. This most joyous festival falls on the full moon day during the month of Phalguna, sometimes late March (or even beginning depending upon the lunar calendar) which is quite conducive to getting out and about. It is seasonally the time when bodily humors change most markedly - particularly the phlegm - thawing with the onset of summers. Hence physiologically people in India, particularly in the north, crave for more sensuous and sensual pleasures with both sexes longing to mate.

Although all the major gods are also described to celebrate it with great fervor, Holi is generally associated with Lord Krishna, who in his childhood and adolescence ran around with his band of cow-herds and maidens of the village, compelling and captivating everyone to join in the revellery. He loved festivity like everybody of his age is expected to love. During this period starting at least a fortnight ahead of the festival, in the hamlets of Gokul, Brindavan, Barsana, besides in the city of Mathura people go almost berserk. Lord Krishna played Holi with so much gusto that even to-day the songs sung during this period are full of pranks that he played on the Gopis (cow-maidens) and they on him. Especially his colorful 'lee1a' with his childhood beloved Radha have been described with such high quality music and literature that these songs have become a treasure of our heritage. It is believed to be the special festival of the region called Braj, stretching to about 80 miles radius with the center at Mathura. In Braj area, although the boys and girls start their colorful pranks right since the festival of Vasant Panchami, the traditional celebration start about a week before the Day (called Dhulendi)-the First Day of the Bright Fortnight of Chaitra - on the eleventh lunar day called Rangbharini Ekadashi. On this day, people regularly start making preparations to celebrate the great day. They sort out what is useless for them and dump those things on a particular spot close to their houses. This dump of the old and useless things is called Holi. There is a legend attached to this word.

There was a demon lord named Hiranyakashyapu who deemed himself as the Lord of the Creation and a rival to Lord Vishnu. He had asked his people worship not any other god but his own image. But, ironically, his own son, Prahlad, developed great reverence for Lord Vishnu and despite Hiranyakashyapu's best efforts did not cease to worship Vishnu. At last, sorely peeved, Hiranyakashyapu decided to kill his own son. He asked his demons to lay a trap for his son's death. But though he was thrown from the hilt-top, kept bound before. the poisonous snakes, the boy couldn't be eliminated. At last, the demon lord's sister, named Holika assured his brother that she would kill her nephew. Holika had received a boon than she couldn't be burnt by fire. So at one night she took her nephew Prahlad on her lap and sat on the pile of firewood. As she did, the demon-lord's henchmen set it ablaze. But they found, to their utter amazement, Holika incinerated but Prahlad surviving unscathed !

Symbolically, burning a pile of useless objects, lumber, scrap items etc. means getting rid of all the impieties and wasted things that one might have accumulated over the year. Included among them, symbolically, are also the vile sentiments like hatred, jealousy and animosity. Since the festival of Holi is celebrated only a fortnight ahead of the end of the financial year by the ancient Indian calendar, some of these customary practices also hint at finally settling the account. This 'Holi' is set ablaze at a precise 'Muhurta' on the eve of the actual Holi-day called Dhulendi. People gather around it singing and dancing in joy on the beat of the Dhols and Nagaras. This kind of bonfire is made almost in the middle of night. Since nights are still cold, at this time no colored water is sprinkled on one another but playing 'Holi' with dry powder like Gulal and Abeer is permitted. When the fire is set ablaze with flames leaping high, roasting coconuts thrust into the pointed lances and green grams with the help of bamboo sticks is deemed very auspicious. When fire is almost doused people circumambulate it singing most vulgar compositions of Holi. In North, India it is believed that exactly on the junction of the two tithis Poornima (full moon day) and Pratipada (first day of the bright fortnight) mouthing obscurities sets in a process of catharsis clearing all accumulated complaints and rancors. After making this kind of bonfire, people return their home. If this time of burning Holi is close to the sun rise in some cities like Varanasi, the celebration of the Holi festival also starts immediately after Holi is burnt and fire is worshiped.

In certain regions in North India, newly married brides are asked to go round this fire and worship the fire god to grant them abundant fertility and eternal felicity in the company of their husbands. In the region of Braj, infants are formally brought close to the burning fire with the hope that 'Holika Mata' would grant them long and prosperous life. If the ground at which this fire is burnt is close to a temple, people go these singing Holis describing amorous dalliance of Lord Krishna with his spouses. Then people also go to their farms and worship their land. Then returning home, if the sun-rise be still far away people take a nap. Getting up at the day break they select their old-torn but still wearable clothes which are to be rejected by the end of that day. Having made themselves ready for celebrating the final day of Holi, after breakfast the boys go to test their 'Pichkari' (a kind of small water pump) and prepare the colorful water for playing Holi. Although now a variety of chemicals are used to colour this water, traditionally people still prefer the 'Tesu' flower which blooms in abundance at this time. Tesu is the tree, blooming big petalled flowers, also called 'Flame of the forest'. These flowers have such bright color that during this time of the year their blooming in thousands gives the impression as if the whole jungle has been set on fire. These flowers are soaked overnight in huge vessels or tanks and in the morning they are strained by means of huge thin cloth sheets. In order to impart more brightness to the color of the water, a little of un soaked raw lime is added. This addition makes the color of the water bright saffron and velY soothing to the eyes. This flowered concoction is said to be very good for human skin and if soaked over the skin for long, the skin acquires a charming 'tan-color.' When the color is ready, it is filled in various buckets and pails and placed strategically in the courtyards, veranda, or even on the roof tops.