Holi — March
One of Hinduism’s oldest festivals, Holi traces its roots to ancient texts like the Puranas and has been celebrated across the Indian subcontinent for over two thousand years. Its most beloved origin story tells of young Prahlada, whose devotion to Lord Vishnu protected him from his own father’s cruelty and from the flames that consumed his wicked aunt Holika.
The bonfire lit on the eve of Holi, known as Holika Dahan, commemorates that triumph of good over evil. By day, the festival belongs entirely to colour, with handfuls of bright gulal powder, water balloons, and laughter filling streets across India and Nepal.
From the temples of Mathura and Vrindavan, where Krishna’s legend gives Holi its most playful spirit, to Kathmandu’s Basantapur Durbar Square, where a ceremonial pole is raised and later burned, celebrations take on a distinct character in every region.
For travellers, no description quite prepares you for the sheer, unbridled joy of being caught in a cloud of colour.
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