History - Holy - Holi

Holi’s roots extend deep into antiquity, with references appearing in early Sanskrit texts such as the Purva Mimamsa Sutras and the Kathaka Grihya Sutras, which describe springtime festivities resembling Holi. The Puranas further elaborate on Holi’s significance, particularly the Narada Purana and the Bhavishya Purana, which mention a festival named Holika or Holikotsav. These accounts, along with a 300 BCE inscription from Central India referencing Holikotsav, confirm its existence as an ancient public celebration.

The festival was initially tied to agricultural cycles and lunar worship, particularly the full moon of the Phalguna month. Early celebrations were likely intimate family rituals performed by married women seeking prosperity for their households. However, as Holi merged with broader social customs, it evolved into a more exuberant communal festival marking the arrival of spring.

Mythology also played a crucial role in Holi’s rise. The most well-known legend is that of Prahlada and Holika, an allegory of devotion triumphing over tyranny. According to Hindu tradition, the demon king Hiranyakashipu sought to punish his devout son Prahlada for his unwavering faith in Lord Vishnu. His sister Holika, immune to fire, sat with Prahlada in a blazing pyre, but divine intervention led to her demise while Prahlada survived unscathed. This tale became the basis for Holika Dahan, the bonfire ritual performed on Holi’s eve, symbolising the victory of good over evil.

Holi also draws inspiration from Krishna’s playful pranks with Radha and the gopis (cowherd girls), which introduced the festival’s most iconic element: the throwing of colours. Krishna, whose dark complexion made him insecure, playfully smeared colour on Radha’s face, giving birth to the joyous tradition of gulal (coloured powders). This association remains strongest in the Braj region (Mathura and Vrindavan), where Holi celebrations are particularly grand, re-enacting Krishna’s divine playfulness.

In South India, Holi is connected to Shiva through the legend of Kamadeva, the god of love, who was reduced to ashes by Shiva’s third eye. The observance of Kama Dahanam in Tamil Nadu reflects Holi’s thematic connection to love, destruction, and renewal. These mythological strands—Krishna’s romantic playfulness, Prahlada’s unwavering faith, and Shiva’s fiery asceticism—cement Holi as both a spiritual and seasonal festival.

By the medieval period, Holi had evolved from a village festival into a widely celebrated event, even receiving royal patronage. The 7th-century Sanskrit drama Ratnavali, attributed to King Harsha, vividly describes Holi festivities filled with music, dance, and colour-play. The festival found artistic representation in paintings, such as 16th-century Vijayanagara sculptures showing revelers spraying coloured water and 17th-century Mughal miniatures depicting royal Holi celebrations.

The Mughal rulers, despite their Persian heritage, embraced Holi as a courtly event, integrating it into their cultural milieu. Akbar and Jahangir renamed it Id-e-Gulabi (Festival of Roses) and Aab-e-Pashi (Shower of Colours), respectively. Jahangir’s memoirs mention grand Holi gatherings, and court paintings depict emperors playfully engaging in colour play. The festival became a rare moment of social levelling, allowing courtiers, musicians, and commoners to partake in the festivities.

Sufi mystics also integrated Holi’s themes into their poetry, using the imagery of colours to symbolise divine love and spiritual ecstasy. The Sufi saint Nizamuddin Auliya’s disciple, Amir Khusrow, composed verses about Holi, reinforcing its syncretic nature. At Sufi shrines in Delhi and other regions, Holi was celebrated with devotional music and flower offerings, blurring religious boundaries and transforming it into a shared cultural expression.

Meanwhile, regional variations flourished. In Bengal, Holi became associated with Dol Jatra, a festival honouring Krishna and Radha, where idols were swung in decorated palanquins while devotees sang and sprinkled colours. Eastern India also observed Phagwah, a folk variant of Holi marked by agricultural rituals and community feasting. These diverse expressions underscored Holi’s ability to adapt while preserving its core spirit of renewal and joyous transgression.

With the advent of British colonial rule in the 18th and 19th centuries, Holi encountered both fascination and scrutiny. British accounts likened Holi to European Carnivals for its unruly revelry and temporary social inversion. While colonial authorities acknowledged Holi’s cultural significance, they often viewed it as disorderly. By the early 20th century, nationalist movements began using Holi as a platform for anti-colonial sentiment. The legend of Prahlada and Holika was reinterpreted as an allegory for resisting British oppression.

During the freedom struggle, Holi processions in cities like Kanpur became opportunities for patriotic demonstrations. British officials often sought to regulate large Holi gatherings, wary of their potential to incite dissent. However, Holi’s popularity endured, reinforcing its role as a symbol of resistance and cultural resilience.

At the same time, British presence introduced Holi to a global audience. European artists and photographers documented the festival, leading to its romanticised depiction in Western imagination. Colonial-era Indian elites also adapted Holi, hosting refined soirées that blended traditional colour play with Western-style entertainment.

Following India’s independence in 1947, Holi’s cultural significance only grew, becoming a nationwide event cutting across religious and regional lines. Urbanisation and mass media played key roles in shaping contemporary Holi. While rural communities continued traditional Holi rituals—such as singing Phag and Chowtal folk songs or using organic dyes—urban celebrations became increasingly commercialised. Housing societies and clubs now organise large-scale Holi parties with DJs and Bollywood music, often replacing old customs with modern entertainment.

Bollywood has been instrumental in popularising Holi across generations. Iconic Holi songs from films like Sholay (1975) and Silsila (1981) have become essential to celebrations nationwide. The festival also took on a global dimension as Indian expatriates introduced Holi to different parts of the world. 

Today, Holi is celebrated in cities like London, New York, and Sydney, where multicultural audiences participate in colour runs and Bollywood-themed parties.

Despite this global embrace, Holi has also faced modern challenges. The shift from natural dyes to synthetic colours has raised environmental concerns, leading to campaigns advocating for eco-friendly Holi. Issues of misbehaviour, particularly during public celebrations, have prompted discussions on ensuring a more respectful and inclusive festival. Nonetheless, Holi remains a powerful unifier, bringing people together in a shared celebration of joy and renewal.