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The “Day of The Dead” is a famous and traditional festival celebrated in Mexico between the 31st of October to the 2nd of November. This festival is celebrated all over Mexico to honor and to remember the dead , especially their loved ones. This is a very colourful and interesting festival. On this day Mexicans visit cemeteries, decorate the graves and spend time at the graves to celebrate the lives of those who are not with them. They also make decorated altars in their homes to welcome the spirits. Then they walk together in the streets of Mexico to pay tribute to their loved ones. They wear traditional Mexican dresses such as big feathered hats, flower crowns and sugar skull face paint . They also dress in a traditional Mexican dress like an embroidered Puebla dress, or wear a long and fancy lace dress. Making sugar skulls is an important event in this festival . Each sugar skull represents a departed loved one and is usually placed on an altar  or even a gravestone as an offering to the spirit of the dead. Sugar skulls are often decorated with the person's name.

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Story of Holi | Why do we celebrate Holi? | Mythological Stories of India

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What is Holi Festival? - Hindu Festival of Colour - Behind the News

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Holi, festival of Colors II Indian Festival II India for Kids ||

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Holi
होली

Observed by

Predominantly Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Newar Buddhists, and others

Type

Religious, cultural, spring festival

Celebrations

Night before: Holika Dahan, Kama Dahan
On Holi: spraying colored dye, playing with colored powder, dancing, greetings, festival delicacies

Date

per Hindu calendar

2022 date

18 March

Frequency

Annual

Holi is a popular ancient Hindu festival, also known as the "Festival of Love", the "Festival of Colours", and the "Festival of Spring". The festival celebrates the eternal and divine love of Radha and Krishna. It also signifies the triumph of good over evil, as it celebrates the victory of Lord Vishnu as Narasimha Narayana over Hiranyakashipu. It originated and is predominantly celebrated in Nepal & India but has also spread to other regions of Asia and parts of the Western world through the diaspora from the Indian subcontinent.

Holi celebrates the arrival of spring, the end of winter, the blossoming of love and for many, it is a festive day to meet others, play and laugh, forget and forgive, and repair broken relationships. The festival also celebrates the beginning of a good spring harvest season. It lasts for a night and a day, starting on the evening of the Purnima (Full Moon Day) falling in the Hindu calendar month of Phalguna, which falls around middle of March in the Gregorian calendar. The first evening is known as Holika Dahan (burning of Demon Holika) or Chhoti Holi and the following day as Holi, Rangwali Holi, Dol Purnima, Dhuleti, Dhulandi, Ukuli, Manjal Kuli, Yaosang, Shigmo or Phagwah, Jajiri.

Holi is an ancient Hindu religious festival that has become popular among non-Hindus as well in many parts of South Asia, as well as people of other communities outside Asia. In addition to India and Nepal, the festival is celebrated by Indian subcontinent diaspora in countries such as Suriname, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, South Africa, Mauritius, Fiji, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, the United States, the Netherlands, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. In recent years, the festival has spread to parts of Europe and North America as a spring celebration of love, frolic, and colours.

Holi celebrations start on the night before Holi with a Holika Dahan where people gather, perform religious rituals in front of the bonfire, and pray that their internal evil be destroyed the way Holika, the sister of the demon king Hiranyakashipu, was killed in the fire. The next morning is celebrated as Rangwali Holi (Dhuleti) - a free-for-all festival of colours, where people smear each other with colours and drench each other. Water guns and water-filled balloons are also used to play and colour each other. Anyone and everyone is fair game, friend or stranger, rich or poor, man or woman, children, and elders. The frolic and fight with colours occurs in the open streets, parks, outside temples and buildings. Groups carry drums and other musical instruments, go from place to place, sing and dance. People visit family, friends and foes come together to throw coloured powders on each other, laugh and gossip, then share Holi delicacies, food and drinks. In the evening, people dress up and visit friends and family.

Images for kids

In the Braj region of North India, women have the option to playfully hit men who save themselves with shields; for the day, men are culturally expected to accept whatever women dish out to them. This ritual is called Lath Mar Holi.

Drummers of Indo-Caribbean community celebrating Phagwah (Holi) in New York City, 2013.

In Spanish: Holi para niños

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What do you know about the colourful festival of Holi? It's a Hindu festival that people celebrate around the world to welcome spring. Revellers throw colour at each other, and neighbours get together to eat and celebrate the beginning of a new season. Here are 10 fun facts about the festival of Holi and its historical roots.

10 Fun Facts About Holi - The Festival of Colour

Holi is a joyful celebration of colour by Hindus around the world. The festival heralds the end of winter and marks the beginning of spring. Families and neighbours get together on the streets and throw powdered colour and liquid dye at each other and sing and enjoy.

1. Mythological Stories

There are a number of mythological stories around the festival. The most widely accepted is the story of Prahlad. Legend has it that the evil king, Hiranyakashyap forbade his son Prahlad from worshipping the Hindu god, Vishnu. In defiance of his father, Prahlad continued in his prayers of Vishnu.

Hiranyakashyap mocked his son's prayers and ordered him to sit on a pyre (a woodpile made for burning a body as part of a funeral) along with his aunt, Holika, who was known to be immune to fire. During the fire test, Holika burnt to death in spite of her immunity. Prahlad was saved because he asked Lord Vishnu for help. The burning of Holika is celebrated as the festival of Holi.

There are other stories that speak to the celebration of Holi but most (if not all) conclude in the same way: "Good wins over evil."

2. Holi Lasts for 2 Days

Holi is normally a two-day celebration. The day before is known as " Jalane wali Holi" or " Holika dahan" - the day Holika burned. People celebrate by having their own bonfires in the neighbourhood. The morning after is called the " Rangwali Holi " - the day of colour. That's the main day of the festival.

3. Preparation Starts Early

The main day of Holi starts early and is filled with drum beats, coloured powder, and fun activities. We use to prepare for days beforehand. Kids start playing with water balloons filled with colour and water pistols a week before Holi.

4. Wear Old Clothes!

Holi is the only festival where people wear their oldest clothes because getting the Holi colour out in the laundry is a Herculean if not impossible task. Recently people have started to wear white clothes so that the colours of Holi stand out in photographs. Makes total sense in this age of Instagram!

5. Vrindavan

Some of the biggest Holi celebrations in India take place in the temples of Vrindavan, in northern India. According to legend, Hindu god Krishna played Holi with his consort Radha. Tourists flock to this city from around the world to participate and sing and dance with the devotees.

See this video on celebrating the festival of Holi in India.

6. Spring

The festival takes place at the end of winter and the beginning of spring when nature is blooming. The time not only symbolises a new season but also represents new beginnings for Hindus. It's often a time to end conflicts and let go of emotional baggage.

7. Colourful Food

Like much of this festival, the food also is fun and colourful. Finger foods are most popular since you can eat those even with colour-smeared hands and face. The most popular sweet is Gujiya - a fried and sweetened empanada-like pastry stuffed with dried fruits and nuts.

8. Thandai Drink

During the day, people often serve refreshing cold drinks. One, in particular, is very popular - Thandai - a milky concoction of pistachios, almonds, cardamom, and cannabis. I make a kid-friendly version and even freeze it into popsicles for the celebration.

9. Natural Colours

The colours people used long ago for the celebration were derived from flowers and herbs. In the '80s and 90's, a push towards mass production of synthetic colours became popular. Tradition gave way to convenience. In hindsight, many synthetic colouring ingredients were toxic for the skin, hair, and eyes. Over the years, people reported man injuries. In recent times people have become more aware about natural sources of colour such as turmeric, beet, pomegranate, marigold, sunflower, indigo and other natural herbs and flowers. These can be used to get the same vibrant colours.

10. Holi Etiquette

During the festivities, people often throw colour at strangers on the street. Be prepared for the onslaught. Holi etiquette indicates when one throws colour at strangers you say, "Bura na mano, Holi hai!" which means, "Please excuse me, it is the day of Holi."

The festival of Holi is a vibrant, loud, irreverent celebration of colour. I have fond memories of celebrating it with my childhood friends in India. In Canada, though spring often comes a little too late for this celebration, playing outdoors with colour takes on a whole new meaning.

Related Reading:
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10 Fun Facts About the Festival of Holi - Multicultural Kid Blogs

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by What do you know about the colourful festival of Holi? It's a Hindu festival that people celebrate around the world to welcome spring. Revellers throw colour at each other, and neighbours get together to eat and celebrate the beginning of a new season.

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If you're looking for fascinating facts about Holi and lots of fun Holi-themed learning activities for your child, then you're at the right place. Read the blog below to find out more.

Holi is one of the main Hindu festivals. It's a spring festival and is also known as the festival of colour. The festival celebrates the Hindu god, Krishna, who's known as a god of love and protection.

Holi has been celebrated since ancient times in agricultural areas to throw off the darkness of winter and welcome the light of spring. The festival is seasonal so the dates change each year - it's celebrated following the full moon in the month of 'Phalguna' in the Hindu calendar, usually in February or March.

Holi is a hugely important festival in India, Nepal and Thailand. It's a time when believers come together and spend time with each other, have fun and celebrate love.

During Holi, people celebrate the victory of good over evil and banish evil spirits and rejoice in the love of the two gods Krishna and Radha. They also celebrate the love between themselves and their partners, family and friends.

Celebrating the victory of good over evil is extremely important in Hinduism. This is because Hindus believe that souls are eternal and gods and people live many lives in different bodies for centuries. They therefore need to continue to banish evil spirits that may also be everlasting souls.

When is Holi 2021?

Holi will be celebrated this year on 28th and 29th March, 2021.

How is Holi celebrated?

Holi is celebrated over two full days. The festival is celebrated worldwide, but India and Nepal are where the celebrations are enjoyed across the country by most of the nation. There are some religious gatherings during Holi. These can be in villages, in public places or in temples, but these ceremonies are short or held at home.

Holi is associated with relaxed social expectations, which means that all people mix regardless of age, gender or wealth. Behaviour expectations are also relaxed, resulting in a fun but chaotic atmosphere. A common saying heard during Holi is 'Buran a mano, Holi hai', which means 'don't be offended, it's Holi'.

The festival begins with Holika Dahan, when bonfires are lit to celebrate the death of Holika (an evil goddess). Tash from these fires are said to bring good luck to the people involved in the ceremony.

The name Holika Dahan literally means Holika's death.

For the weeks leading up to Holi, Hindu boys traditionally collect waste wood for the fire, which is lit between 10 pm and midnight.

People perform religious rituals, asking for forgiveness from their god and praying that any evil will end.

During Rangwali Holi (the second day of the festival), the colourful part of the celebration occurs.

People have exciting street parties in their local towns and villages and the festival is filled with singing and dancing.

Holi is also known as the Festival of Colour because coloured powder is thrown in celebration and people sing, dance and have fun together.

What is the story behind the Holi festival?

Holi also commemorates various events in Hindu mythology, including the legend of a demon king. The name Holi is thought to come from Holika, the sister of the demon king, Hiranyakashyap.

In Hindu mythology, Holika is said to have been burned in place of Hiranyakashyap's son Prahlad when he was sentenced to death by his father for worshipping the Hindu god Lord Vishnu. Therefore, Holi is also seen as a time to celebrate good overcoming evil.

Top Ten Activities to Discover More Facts about Holi

There are many ways for your child to discover facts about Holi.

1.You'll be spoilt for choice with the videos on Twinkl Parents and Twinkl Kids TV. Your child can kick off their Holi celebrations in style with the fun dance moves in this video.

The above video may be from a third-party source. We accept no responsibility for any videos from third-party sources. Please let us know if the video is no longer working.

2. How about browsing our Parents Page to discover fabulous fun activities to do with your child at home? A good place to start would be by having a look at this fact file.
3. In this engaging reading activity aimed at your child aged seven to nine years old, there are different levels of fact files so you can choose the level that suits your child.
The answers are also included to make it really easy for you to support your child when they're learning their facts about Holi.
4. This beautifully illustrated PowerPoint will explain the key facts about Holi to your child.
5. Your child can enhance their their learning with this lovely Holi-themed acrostic poem, which can introduce them to poetry and improve their English, spelling and creativity.

6. These colour-focused food science experiments can help your child to learn all about colour while including physics and chemistry - a great way to include different areas into your child's Holi learning that they can make and grow at home.

7. Encourage your children to experiment with colour to represent the celebrations of Holi with this beautiful colouring page. You could add this to a piece of A3 or A4 card, folded in half to create a Happy Holi card.

8. Can your child re-tell the story of Holika and Prahlad by re-ordering these lovely cards?

9. Rangoli patterns are used by Hindus to bring good luck into their homes. These naturally-themed patterns are created on the floor near the front door and are made from commonly found materials, such as uncooked rice grains, sand and chalk.

10. These lovely Holi page borders are are perfect for your child to present their facts and drawings about Holi.

If your child has enjoyed finding out facts about Holi, why not read another of our blogs?
This one is simply about why we love maths. Top 10 English Activities for My Year 6 Child Top 10 Ways to Look After the Environment How Can I Celebrate World Wildlife Day with My Child?
We hope you find the information on our website and resources useful. As far as possible, the contents of this resource are reflective of current professional research. However, please be aware that every child is different and information can quickly become out of date. The information given here is intended for general guidance purposes only and may not apply to your specific situation.

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If you're looking for fascinating facts about Holi and lots of fun Holi-themed learning activities for your child, then you're at the right place. Read the blog below to find out more. Holi is one of the main Hindu festivals. It's a spring festival and is also known as the festival of colour.

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Holi is a religious spring festival celebrated mainly by Hindus. The day before the festival, called Holika Dahan, the flames are lit to commemorate the miraculous salvation of the young Prahlad when the Holika demon takes him to the fire. Holika was burnt but Prahalad, a devout devotee of Lord Vishnu, escaped unscathed due to his unwavering devotion. The festival can last up to 16 days, with Hindus throwing colored powder and water at each other in the streets.Holi celebrates the arrival of spring, the end of winter, the flowering of love and is a festive day for many to meet. It is a festival to play and laugh with others, to forgive forgetfulness and to repair broken relationships. The festival also celebrates the beginning of a good spring harvest. It begins on the evening of the full moon Poya day in the Hindu calendar month of Falguna and falls around mid-March and lasts for one night and one day. The first evening is called Holika Dahan (Demon Holika Bake) or Choti Holi and the next day is Holi, Rangwali Holi, Dol Purnima, Dhuleti, Dhulandi, Ukuli, Manjal Kuli, Yaosang, Shigmo or Phagwah, Jajiri. In addition to India and Nepal, the Indian subcontinental diaspora includes Suriname, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, South Africa, Mauritius, Fiji, Malaysia, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States, the Netherlands and Canada. In recent years, Holi has spread as a festival of love, fun and color in some parts of Europe and North America.

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