Holi festival in Nepal is also known as the Festival of Colors. The Festival of Colors is a vibrant and cheerful festival that is observed every year on the full moon day of the Hindu calendar month of Falgun (March). The celebration of Holi commemorates the onset of spring and the triumph of good over evil. In Holi, people gather to smear colored powder and splash colored water to each other and have a good time with some sweets, drinks, and dance.
Mythology
According to Vishnu Puran, in Treta Yug, there was a King Hiranyakashipu (Hiranyakashyap) who was given a blessing by Lord Brahma. The boon was that he could not be killed by any man, animal, or by any weapons, neither in the sky nor on earth, neither in day nor in night, ultimately becoming Unkillable.
Hiranyakashipu had a son called Prahalad, a devotee of Lord Vishnu. Hiranyakashipu didn’t like Prahlad worshiping Lord Vishnu. To get rid of his own son, Hiranyakashipu did everything from poisoning his food to throwing him from a cliff. At last, he called his sister Holika for the job to get done. Holika was blessed with the boon of not getting burned in the fire. So, Holika took Prahalad and sat on a big fire. But, nothing happened to Prahalad; instead, Holika was the one to die. People then started celebrating the death of Holika and started celebrating the day as Holi.
Later HiranyaKahyapu was killed by Narasimha, the fourth avatar of Lord Vishnu. Further, Prahalad became a king and ruled India.
When is Holi Celebrated in 2022?
Celebration of Holi in 2022 will be on Falgun 3 and 4 (March 18 and 19). Holi celebration date changes every year as Holi is celebrated on the eve of the full moon and the full moon on the month of Falgun (March).
Where People Celebrate Holi festival in Nepal?
People go to temples in the morning, and later they gather in a specific place or a program to enjoy Holi. Big parties are hosted by restaurants, big brands, and even malls. Mostly, people in Kathmandu gather in Basantapur Durbar Square to enjoy Holi.
How Do You Celebrate Holi in Nepal?
Holi is celebrated with friends, family, and neighbors. People throw multicolored water balloons, water pipes (pichkari) and smear color powders on each other. On this day, most individuals wear basic white clothing to allow the vibrant colors to sit on their clothes. Some people also consider Holi as the day to resolve past disagreements and strained relationships.
Where to click photos during Holi in Nepal?
As a photographer in Nepal, Holi is not a festival to miss. Thus, you must take pictures from the places where people are enjoying Holi celebration. For that, you can go to local parks, residential neighborhoods, or restaurants. However, you must make sure to go to such places using google map or a person who can assist you with locations. If possible, go to different locations and bring variety to your photography.
Tips To Photographers of Nepal While Taking Holi Celebrations
- Be with the crowd. You should always blend in with the crowd to get the perfect Holi shot.
- Capture close-up images of people in groups, each with a different color on their face, laughing and enjoying themselves with their pals.
- To protect your eyes, wear shades/sunglasses as often as possible, but get cheap ones that you won’t mind discarding.
- Take a decent picture of the color powder that has been organized properly.
- Travel around the location to get a variety of images. You can also get aerial shots.
- Take along waterproof camera gear and waterproof dry bags to avoid mess caused by water and thick powder.
