INDIAN WATER FESTIVAL – HOLI

SEE THE LITTLE BOY IN THE LAST PICTURE. HE IS DETERMINED TO FACE ADVERSITY AND ENJOY LIFE.

2011

Holi: Festival of Colors – The Big Picture – Boston.com

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/03/holi_festival_of_colors.html

Every year, Hindus greet the turn of winter into spring with a splash of color — in some areas, a geyser of color. They call their celebration the festival of Holi, and Hindus across India and throughout the world share prayer, camaraderie, special food, and a general sense of mischief as they douse each other in dyes and colored water. The large festival has roots to many Hindu legends associated with the triumph of good over evil. One of the best-known stories tells the tale of the demoness Holika, who tried to kill Prahlad, the son of the demon king Hiranyakashyap, for refusing to worship his father. Instead, Holika is consumed in flames, which is replayed each year with bonfires and effigies, before the celebrants break out the hues and cries of the festival. – Lloyd Young (43 photos total)

2010

Holi 2010 – The Big Picture – Boston.com

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/03/holi_2010.html

Last Monday (March 1st), people in India and other countries with large Hindu populations celebrated Holi, the Festival of Colors. A welcoming of Spring, Holi is celebrated as the triumph of good over evil. Hindu devotees and others enthusiastically drop their inhibitions, and chase each other in temples and through the streets, playfully splashing colorful paint, powder and water on each other. People also attend bonfires to commemorate the story of Prahlada, a Hindu figure and devout follower of Lord Vishnu who prevailed over his father and the demoness Holika with the power of his devotion. Collected here are a handful of images from this year’s Festival of Colors. (37 photos total)