Surely you have heard of the popular Holi Festival of Colours or the Holi One. Since a couple of years, this event has become very famous all over the world. Until now, the festival took also place in Prague but, anyway, it is much better to visit directly the source: India.
The Holi in India has a long tradition with many different rituals. It is a spring festival and therefore celebrated around March. As you may know from the Holi Festivals in Europe, it is traditional (and most known in the world) to throw colored powder at each other and play, dance and sing in this colorful atmosphere, but the Holi is also more than just throwing colored powder. First of all, the festival is initiated with a bonfire which represents the victory of the good over the evil. This is one of the deeper meanings behind this cheerful spirit, but also to welcome the spring, make peace with others and forgive mistakes.
Since New Delhi is the capital of India, the festival is very big around here. It is one possibility where you can experience the festival but of course there are many other cities and regions where they celebrate the Holi. Flights from Prague to Delhi take about ten hours. I recommend looking for rooms for rent in India, in this case in Delhi, so that you can move around more freely.
One issue you should care about if considering to visit this festival is the colors employed. Earlier it was custom to make the powder from plants and leaves so that they were very natural and even helping for the health. Nowadays it is more common to use synthetic colors and therefore there is a bigger risk of health damages like skin or eye irritation. Nevertheless, many companies realized this problem and are now offering hazard-free powders. So, look out when buying the colored powders.
If you are just interested in the fun part and modern music, the Holi festivals in Europe and Prague will be sufficient for you. But if you want to experience a real traditional and ancient festival with no commercial purpose, the Holi in India is a must-see.
