HOLI HAI!!!

Holi In Manosque and its history

The Indian Festival of colors is not only popular in India, but also abroad. Holi is one of those traditions that has strong origins in its past, but has evolved into representing contemporary reasons that still hold true for people today.

Originally, it represented the divine love for one of its god, Krishna's love for his lover Radha, as well as: good over evil, light and love over darkness, the beginning of spring season (where flowers bloom and positive beginnings are affirmed even in nature), forgiving, forgetting, and moving on to an intentional and beautiful year ahead. As with many Indian traditions, it is colorful, loud, and lovingly celebrated between family, friends and happy strangers.

Bollywood of course, is an important part of expressing and sharing these cultures to the Indian public, and many a movies have been made around this wonderful and fun celebration. Yes sometimes it's overhyped because nobody can look beautiful when you've water and colors smashed all over your body, but we Indians do love imagining the best versions of ourselves! Enjoy this little music video below from one of the contemporary Bollywood movies Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani:

It has never been celebrated however, in a small Provençal town before, that's why it is such a special occasion for Indian people to be able to share their traditions here with the local communities of Manosque this year in 2022!

Event Details: Saturday, March 26, 2022

Time: 2 - 5 PM (14H - 17H)

Location: Place Marcel Pagnol, Manosque

Free Entry

Expect Food stands, activities, Indian dance performances and Holi coloring attacks!!! *Don't wear your favorite outfit for this one!* ;)

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Sonal Soni, having worked and written this blog for ITER as well, has kindly sent her article for us to also share it with the expats and local community for us to learn more about the traditions and history of Holi! Read below to take a peak inside one of the most colorful cultures today.

HOLI – The Festival of Colours

by Sonal Soni

The festival of colours is Holi, it is vibrant and filled with beautiful colours. Holi is considered as one of major festival in India. It is celebrated in the month of Fagun on full moon day according to Hindu calendar and it falls in last week of March. This year it is celebrated on 18th March 2022.

With the onset of spring, whole India gets into the colourful mood of Holi. This festival also denotes celebration due to good harvests and land fertility. This colourful festival also celebrates the eternal love of Goddess Radha and God Krishna. This festival is celebrated in a grand style in the city of Mathura and Vrindavan.

The festival of colours teaches humankind to transcend above the caste and creed. It is a festival to forget old grievances and meeting others with great warmth & high spirit. This festival begins with lightening of bonfire on Holi eve. Next day, people play Holi with different types of colours, abirs and gulals.

They greet each other with Shubh Holi. i.e. Happy Holi and send warm wishes of the festival.

Kids and adults come out of their house and smear each other with bright shades of gulal. Colouful waters are sprinkled on people, and kids are found playing with pichkari(water gun) and water balloons. People exchange sweets, Thandai and snacks among neighbours and friends. Popular Holi sweets are Gujiya, Ladoo, Burfi and Imarti etc. Indian festive celebration is incomplete without delicious sweets & dance. People also dance in the beats of Holi songs and popular folk’s music. Exchange of holi gifts, snack hampers, dry fruits and greeting cards are also found.

Holi festival has religious and historical significance in Hindu texts. There was very popular mythological story, about king 'Hiranyakashyapu' and his son 'Prahlad'. The devil king used to hate God esp. Lord Vishnu and threatened people in his kingdom to stop worshipping him. But this King's own son was a verdant devotee of Lord Vishnu.

He denied to obey his father command and this infuriated the king. Hiranyakashyapu instructed his sister 'Holika' to pulverize his own son Prahald. Holika had the boon to being immune to fire. She was absolutely sure that she would not get affected by the blazing fire and took seat on the fire with young Prahlad. Lord Vishnu rendered protection of his devotee Prahlad and he was alive but Holika was burnt into death. Therefore, the festival of Holi signifies the victory of good over evil.

The festival of colour gives us an opportunity to reunite with family, friends and dear ones. This festivity brings colours into the life of people, when they can take a break from their monotonous life and share the joy with loved ones. Everyone plays Holi by chasing each other and throwing bright gulal and coloured water.

This Year Here in France, our Indian community celebrated this HOLI festival together on 19th March 2022.

Sweet memory of HOLI celebration!!!