Rajasthan Holi 2022: Celebrate Colors & Tradition In A Grand Way! Holi is the festival of colors that have come to symbolize the cultural appeal of the country perfectly. Many tourists who visit India are enamored by the vibrant festive vibe of Holi and find the traditions and customs attached to this festival fascinating. For people in India however, Holi often becomes sadly just another holiday since they are all too familiar with the routine of the festival having celebrated it year after year. To break this pattern and enjoy the fun of Holi just as you experienced it for the first time, one of the best ways is to travel. The different surroundings, people, and unfamiliar customs can bring the charm back into the festivities for you, and the best place to do it is by attending the celebrations of royal Holi in Rajasthan. Rajasthan is a beautiful state that is unique in many ways due to the rich history, atypical landscape, food habits, and religious customs. The royal Holi celebration in Rajasthan is yet another example of the great cultural diversity of the state.

The festival actually spans over two days. The first day of Holi in Rajasthan and much of India is known as Holika Dahan; the second day – the main, colourful event – is Rang-wali Holi:

1st Day: Holika Dahan

Hindu mythology tells us that long ago, there was once a powerful king named Hiranyakashipu. While he considered himself to be God and wished that everyone in his kingdom worship him accordingly, he was devilishly evil and despised for his cruelty. The king’s own son, Prahlada, was a devotee of the Hindu god Vishnu and straight-up refused to worship his father. This angered Hiranyakashipu to the point that he attempted to kill his son a number of times, but strangely nothing worked. So the king turned to his evil sister, Holika – who was immune to fire, for help. To get rid of Prahlada once and for all, she tricked him into sitting with her on a bonfire. Unfortunately for Holika, her special fire-immunity powers became ineffective thanks to her ill intentions and hence she burned to ash. Prahlaha on the other hand gained her immunity and was saved. This is why the first day of the Holi festival is known as Holika Dahan and is celebrated by lighting bonfires to symbolize the victory of good over evil.

2nd Day: Rang-wali Holi

Rang-wali Holi – or ‘colourful Holi’ – is a celebration of the Hindu god Krishna and his love, Radha. It is believed that when Krishna was a baby, his skin turned a distinctive blue colour after having drunk the poisoned milk of the demon Putana. As Krishna grew up, he felt sad about this and concerned as to whether the fair-coloured Radha would ever like him because of his blue hue. Seeing his desperation, Krishna’s mother instructed him to cover Radha’s face in any colour he wanted. When Krisha did so, they became a loving couple and ever since people have been dowsing one another in colour on the festival of Holi.