Holi is a Hindu spring festival celebrated in India and Nepal, also known as the “festival of colours” or the “festival of love.” 

The festival signifies the victory of light over darkness, the arrival of spring, end of winter, and for many a festive day to meet others, play and laugh, forget and forgive, and repair broken relationships. It is celebrated as Rangwali Holi – a free-for-all carnival of colours, where people smear each other with colours and groups carry drums and other musical instruments, go from place to place, sing and dance. People visit family and friends to throw coloured powders on each other, laugh and then share Holi delicacies, food and drinks. 

There is a symbolic legend to explain why Holi is celebrated as a festival of colours in the honor of Hindu god Vishnu. In the Braj region of India, where the Hindu deity Krishna grew up, the festival is celebrated in commemoration of the divine love of Radha for Krishna.