Observed annually, this traditional Hindu holy day began in India as a way to welcome spring’s arrival. Arising on the evening of the full moon (known as Purnima) in the month of Phalguna, this two-day-long feast-for-the-eyes fête falls somewhere between late February and mid-March. (After Valentine’s Day but before St. Patrick’s Day, for you holiday calendar-keeping types.) This year’s Holi runs from March 1st to March 2nd.
But Holi doesn’t just celebrate spring’s radiant return. It also symbolizes the triumph of good over evil, or spring’s defeat of winter. So on the ancient festival’s first night, known as Holika Dahan, or Chhoti Holi, revelers gather around a raging bonfire and perform religious rituals in recognition of the victory.
