Scholar Spotlight: Holi, the festival of colors

On March 14, 2025, many Hindus will celebrate Holi, the springtime “festival of colors,” in honor of Krishna, the Hindu lord of the Universe.

Robert Stephens, a student of Asian philosophies and scholar of South Asian religions, is a Principal Lecturer in religious studies and helps us learn more about this important Hindu holiday.

Q&A

Q. What is the significance of the Hindu holiday, Holi?

Like most pan-Indian holidays, Holi is celebrated for a variety of reasons. Some Hindus celebrate Holi to commemorate Vishnu’s defeat of the demon king Hiranyakashipu. In a related story, Vishnu rescues Hiranyakashipu’s son, Prahlada, from the schemes of Prahlada’s evil aunt, the demoness Holika. Hindus in the Braj region near the Yamuna River in northern India celebrate the divine love of Krishna and Radha during Holi. Celebrants may perform folk dances and sing traditional songs to commemorate the coming spring season, and longtime foes or rivals may exchange Holi delicacies or sweets.

Q. Why is Holi called “the festival of colors?”

Holi is known as the “Festival of Colors” because celebrants throw colored powders and splash colored water on each other as part of the spirited celebration. Throughout India and among Hindus worldwide, celebrants of Holi light bonfires and playfully smear each other with colored water and powders (made from flower extracts and traditional herbs thought to have medicinal value), thereby enjoying a loosening of traditional social hierarchies and celebrating the spring season.

Q. What is the difference between Holi and Diwali?

Like Holi, Diwali is also a popular pan-Indian holiday. Diwali, however, is celebrated in the fall (this year, 2025, Diwali will be celebrated in October) and is thought to commemorate the return of Rama and Sita (hero and heroine of the beloved epic poem The Ramayana) to the capital city of Ayodhya after enduring fourteen years of exile. Part of the celebrations of Diwali involve the lighting of lamps, and for that reason, it is sometimes called the “Festival of Lights.”

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Learn more from Stephens about preparations for Hindu festivals and the significance of flowers for use in ritual worship in temples, outdoor ceremonies or altars at home.