India is a country of festivals and celebration. There is a festival for every religion, region, and tribe and at every juncture of the year. Some celebrate a good harvest season; some signify the victory of good over evil; others signify the advent of spring, yet all of them are a manifestation of celebration – an ode to life! Holi is a festival that is one of a kind; not only in India but throughout the world. It is the festival of colours! Originally a Hindu religious festival, Holi is celebrated on the Phalguna Poornima which is a full moon night in the last month of the Saka calendar. This generally falls in the month of March. There are different beliefs and stories associated with the origin of Holi. The most prominent being the attempt of demon King Hiranya kaship to burn alive his God fearing son, Prahlad. Prahlad, who was a staunch devotee of the Hindu God Vishnu, was made to sit in the lap of the demon King’s sister Holika, who had a boon that would prevent her from getting burnt. While Prahlad remained unaffected, Holika ended up getting burnt to death. In the Lathmaar holi at Barsaana and Nandgaon, women playfully beat men with wooden or bamboo sticks called lathis. The men defend themselves with wooden shields amid dry colours filling the air and the singing of folk songs in Braj bhasha. At the Dauji temple near Mathura, men and women get drenched in an unending shower of wet colours, with women playfully tearing off the clothes of the men. This has come to be known as Huranga. A unique and interesting tradition of Holi celebration is seen at Kesi Ghat on the banks of the river Yamuna in Vrindavan. Here, people celebrate what is known as Phoolon ki Holi, or Holi celebrated with flowers. Instead of using dry or wet colours, people shower each other with flower petals. What a way to celebrate holi the gentle way! There are traditional Holi celebrations at the Banke Bihari Temple in Vrindavan too. Here people get immersed in the colourful atmosphere in the temple premises, enjoying the fun and frolic. When in Mathura, the Dwarkadheesh Temple is a must visit during Holi, wherein priests spray devotees with colours. In the celebratory mood of Holi, many people like to get intoxicated by consuming ‘bhang’, a preparation from cannabis leaves. A traditional sweet preparation called ‘gujiya’ is extremely popular among all and sundry and goes hand in hand with Holi for many people. In Manipur, one of India’s North Eastern states, Holi takes the form of a five day long festival known as Yaoshang. A highlight of Yaoshang is the Thabal Changba, a Manipuri folk dance. Apart from the songs, dances, and an extravaganza of food, the festival also sees elaborate celebrations at the Shree Govindaji Temple and the Bijoy Govinda Temple in Imphal. In addition to its association with festivities and celebrations, Holi has also inspired a military style festival among Sikhs. Named Hola Mohalla, literally meaning the charge of an army, this three-day festiv