New Delhi

Holi, the festival of colours, is an inclusive Indian festival. Though it has a religious backdrop from the story of Lord Krishna, the day is all about celebrating colours, spreading joys and living life to the fullest.

Foreign Tourists playing Holi in Varanasi

The festival comes with pre-Doli celebration of Holika dahan, in which people symbolically cremate an evil force in a bonfire followed by people of all ages playing with colours, eating savouries and special food on the festival day.

People shopping for Holi in Delhi

The festival is celebrated by all the communities across India. Special festivals are held to foster feeling of oneness among different communities and poetic symposiums and cultural shows preceed the big day.

Muslim women celebrating holi in Varanasi

The Holi of vrindavan and Mathura is famous for its unique celebrations and some even liken it to the Tomato festival of Spain.

A Young woman plays Holi in gay abandon

Holi is a festival when people spend a lot of money on colours, toy guns, sweets, food and gift that revs up the local economy.  

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh played Holi with indian Army toops in Leh

All regions of India have their different rituals and traditions of the festival.

Head of Kinnar Akhara, Kaushalya Nand Giri taking out 'Hathoda Barat' on the eve of Holi festival

In some places, mosques are covered toa void colours touching the premises.

A mosque in Aligarh city of UP is covered with plastic sheer to save it from colours

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Special care is taken by all people to respect religious sentiments of all communities and to make the festival a day of celebrating colours, life and nature's bounties