Holi ( Fagu Purnima )

Nepal, a country famous for its adventure, fun, snow-capped Himalayas, natural beauty and its authentic cultures and traditions. Festivals and celebrations are also a major source of attraction of this country. One can easily experience different festivals and the way of celebrating those festivals in this country. Festivals and celebrations have become an important way to teach our children about how we can transform living with diversity from the superficial ‘I eat ethnic food’ to something dignified, mutually respectful and worthwhile. The country has people from different parts of India, which makes festivals more diverse. One of the important festivals in our country is Holi, also known as Fagu Purnima.

 

Holi: Let the Colour Shower Joy:
Holi/Fagu Purnima, also called the festival of colours and joy is a major festival of Nepal. The festival signifies the victory of good over evil, the arrival of spring, end of winter and for others to repair their broken relationships. In this day people play with colours with their friends and families and in the evening, they show love and respect to their close ones using Abeer (A special colour). Bright colours, water balloons, delicious dishes and melodious songs are the ingredients of perfect Holi. This festival is celebrated each year in every part of the country with utmost joy and great enthusiasm. During Fagu Purnima, people also collect firewood and light burnfire to celebrate the death of Holika, the demon who tried to kill Bishnu.

 

Holi is celebrated with dry colours, water sprays, water guns and balloons. People cook different authentic cuisines in this festival. People get to unite together forgetting all their problems and all types of bad feelings with each other. The festival of colour lasts for a day and night, which starts in the evening of Purnima or the full moon day in the month of Falgun. Everyone and anyone are fair game either a friend or a stranger, rich or poor, men or women, children and elders. Groups carry drums and musical instruments, go from place to place, sing and dance and celebrate Holi. People throw colours and get up their targets completely coloured up. At the late morning, each and everyone looks like a coloured canvas with colours all over their body and face. So, Holi is called the colour of Festivals.