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9 Irresistible snacks to spice up your Holi celebration

India’s Holi festival is famous for smearing colored powder on friends and family, bonfire parties, and ‘bhaang’, the traditional cannabis-laced milkshake. And while the colour festival, which marks the beginning of spring, is also played and celebrated with a lot of merry making with just colours and food, India has its own diversity when it comes to celebrating Holi traditions in the country. Here’s a look at the unusual celebrations that follow: <div type="Slideshow" msid="68496807" hostid="261" title="More than just colours: India’s festival of color also also has women ‘beating men’ and cannabis milkshakes" firstImageMsid="68496808" slideCount="6"></div>

More than just colours: India’s festival of color also also has women ‘beating men’ and cannabis milkshakes

Residents in Mumbai, India, burned an effigy depicting the coronavirus as a big, blue demon during Holi celebrations

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Holi, the Hindu celebration known as the festival of colors, kicked off on March 9 with bonfire rituals representing the triumph of good over evil. </li><li>In at least two communities in India, devotees built an effigy representing the coronavirus, which they burned as part of a ritual known as "Holika Dahan."</li><li>While coronavirus fears kept some devotees at home and have decreased sales for certain vendors in India, early Holi celebrations indicate that festivities will proceed as usual tomorrow.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>

Remember Mother India? Yes, the same 1957 movie which popular lyricist Javed Akhtar says is the origin of every <keyword id="143" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bollywood">Bollywood</keyword> movie to have come after it. The movie had a Holi song, called Holi Aayi Re Kanhai, in which the whole village beats Birju (Sunil Dutt) black and blue because he allegedly touches a lehenga-choli clad village girl and forcibly plays Holi with her. Turns out, Birju was not even at fault because it was the girl who had been teasing him all along. 
 
Cut to 2013, the year Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani in which Naina (Deepika Padukone), sporting hot pants, is seen sipping bhanag, singing a song full of double meaning lyrics, with steps suggesting an alleged ‘bhabhi’ losing it over the jeans-clad man. Don’t even get us started on the steps they use to portray this bhabhi, watch it carefully for yourself the next time you enjoy the video. 
 
That’s how the portrayal of Holi has changed in Bollywood in the past 60 years, and we can’t blame the makers, because cinema is a mirror to the soul, and if that’s how the audience has matured in all these years, it doesn’t make any sense to keep following the same track of ‘coy’ girls and ‘high’ boys. 
 
Another thing that has changed in Bollywood is the way Holi has been celebrated by our actors in their real lives. Here is a brief look at Bollywood stars enjoying Holi in their personal lives. 
 
<a href="http://40.media.tumblr.com/0f1c466a7d7a089f96398788837d3baf/tumblr_nkr8m2Igmm1uonu2qo1_1280.jpg">Source</a>

Bollywood’s evolving Holi celebrations, on camera and off it

The mention of <keyword id="6355460" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Holi">Holi</keyword> festival gets everyone excited about playing with colours, spraying water on each other and eating lip-smacking snacks. 
 
The festival of colours, Holi, is just few days away now people are thronging markets to buy powdered colours, water guns, water balloons, sweets, etc. 
 
Holi celebrations have also begun in many parts of the country. One town which is quite famous for its Holi celebrations is Barsana in Uttar Pradesh. 
 
READ ALSO: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/I-celebrated-Holi-at-Radha-and-Krishnas-villages-and-it-was-breathtaking/articleshow/51423879.cms">I celebrated Holi at Radha and Krishna's villages and it was breathtaking</a> 
 
What makes the celebration special here is the way it is played. Holi is marked in Barsana with women beating men with sticks, which is famously known as ‘Lathmar Holi’. 
 
These images of the Lathmar Holi perfectly describe how it is celebrated in Barsana. Take a look 
 
 
(Images: Reuters)

These
photos of Barsana’s Holi celebration will lift your spirits

Taking the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=holi">Holi</a> fervor a notch higher, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=vistara">Vistara</a> rolled out discounts on economy class <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=air+fares">airfares</a> as low as Rs 999 and premium economy fares as low as Rs 2299. 
 
You can book discounted tickets till March 28 for travel till April 30. 
 "This offer comes with limited seats and booking period. It opens for booking today, and is available for booking till 23:59 hours March 28, 2016. Travel period is from March 24, 2016 till April 30, 2016. Customers can book their #HoliSurprise travel on <keyword id="2467342" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vistara">Vistara</keyword> through its website and its app," said the release from the airline.

Vistara announces Holi discounts; you can book your flights starting at Rs 999

India, often referred to as the land of <keyword id="15246" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="festivals" source="Orion">festivals</keyword>, boasts a diverse tapestry of celebrations that showcase the rich cultural heritage and traditions of its people. Among the multitude of <keyword id="20672365" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="festivals-celebrated-across-the-country" source="Orion">festivals celebrated across the country</keyword>, there are some truly unique ones that stand out for their distinctiveness and regional significance. Let's take a journey through India to explore some of these extraordinary festivals: <keyword id="20672363" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="lathmar-holi" source="keywords">Lathmar Holi</keyword> (Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh) Lathmar Holi is a playful and boisterous festival celebrated in the town of Barsana, Uttar Pradesh. Unlike traditional Holi celebrations where people joyously splash colors on each other, Lathmar Holi has a unique twist. Here, women playfully chase and "beat" men with sticks, reenacting the legendary love story of Lord Krishna and Radha. The festival is marked by laughter, music, and camaraderie, making it a truly memorable experience. <keyword id="86993" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jallikattu" source="Orion">Jallikattu</keyword> (Tamil Nadu) Jallikattu is an ancient bull-taming sport celebrated primarily in the state of Tamil Nadu during the Pongal festival. Brave participants attempt to tame ferocious bulls by grabbing their humps and horns. The event symbolizes courage and valor and is deeply ingrained in Tamil culture, attracting spectators from far and wide. <keyword id="2741872" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Hemis-Festival" source="Orion">Hemis Festival</keyword> (Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir) The Hemis Festival is a vibrant Buddhist celebration held annually at the Hemis Monastery in Ladakh. It commemorates the birth anniversary of Guru Padmasambhava, the founder of Tibetan Buddhism. The festival is characterized by colorful masked dances, traditional music performances, and the unveiling of sacred thangkas (religious tapestries), attracting devotees and tourists alike. <keyword id="851515" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Hornbill-Festival" source="Orion">Hornbill Festival</keyword> (Nagaland) The Hornbill Festival is a cultural extravaganza held in Nagaland, showcasing the diverse traditions and customs of the Naga tribes. Named after the Indian hornbill bird, the festival features indigenous music, dance performances, art exhibitions, and culinary delights, providing a glimpse into Naga heritage and way of life. <keyword id="78069" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rann-Utsav" source="Orion">Rann Utsav</keyword> (Gujarat) Rann Utsav is a vibrant festival celebrated in the vast expanse of the Rann of Kutch in Gujarat. The festival highlights the unique landscape, culture, and craftsmanship of the region, with activities such as camel safaris, cultural performances, handicraft exhibitions, and traditional folk dances, making it a mesmerizing experience for visitors. Rural Olympics (Punjab) The Rural Olympics, also known as the Kila Raipur Sports Festival, is a unique event held in the village of Kila Raipur in Punjab. It showcases traditional rural sports and competitions, including bullock cart races, tractor races, kabaddi matches, and wrestling bouts, attracting participants and spectators from all over the country. <keyword id="44513" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rath-Yatra" source="Orion">Rath Yatra</keyword> (Odisha) Rath Yatra, celebrated primarily in Puri, Odisha, is a grand procession where massive chariots carry idols of Lord Jagannath, his brother Balabhadra, and sister Subhadra to their temple. It attracts millions of devotees, symbolizing the journey of the deities to visit their aunt's temple. These festivals, each unique in its own right, offer a glimpse into the diverse cultural tapestry of India, bringing together people from different backgrounds to celebrate and rejoice in the spirit of unity and harmony. From the colorful streets of Barsana to the tranquil valleys of Ladakh, these festivals showcase the vibrant mosaic of traditions and customs that make India truly special. Note: The article is based on content generated by AI models like Bard and Chatgpt.

From Lathmar Holi to Jallikattu: India's most unusual festivals

<ul><li><keyword id="270001" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Surf-Excel" source="Orion">Surf Excel</keyword> has launched it annual <keyword id="12076094" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="holi" source="Orion">Holi</keyword> campaign and this year it wants people to celebrate their inner child.</li><li>The brand wants to send out the message that ‘acting your age’ is all about preconceived notions. The campaign wants to inspire its audience to keep their inner child alive and give into playful impulses, age no-bar.</li></ul>Surf excel is back with a Holi campaign bolstering its unique 'Daag Achhe Hain' brand proposition. <div type="Youtube" id="Y1MdAxeRgz8" title="Surf excel Holi 2022 | Jo rang bachpan lautaye, woh #RangAchheHain" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Y1MdAxeRgz8/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Growing older comes with a myriad of responsibilities. It also comes with pre-conceived notions of ‘acting your age’. What you should or should not be doing, in order to fit into the propriety structures that we have been conditioned towards. But we occasionally find ourselves spontaneously reminded of the days of climbing trees, splashing in rain puddles, or hiding colours in our pockets to stealthily include someone into our Holi celebrations. It is indeed the moments of letting the inner child out in spontaneous abandon that make our lives fuller. With the festival of colours fast approaching, The new 360 campaign shows a heart-warming gesture by a little girl to include her aunt in the buoyant celebration amongst children. The spirited child protagonist is seen playing colours with her friends when she notices her aunt setting the table of colours and sweets, and enjoying their game, subconsciously wanting to join in. When the little girls insists that her aunt join them, the aunt moves away, saying it’s not her age to play like them. As the girl watches her aunt consciously throw away the colours she had unconsciously picked up in her palms, she covers herself with the colours and runs to her aunt for a hug. This action imprints the aunt’s clothes with a colourful silhouette of the child. Pointing towards the imprint, the girl suggests that this child could play with them. The heart-warming message “Jo rang bachpan lautaye, woh rang achhe hain” makes us examine the boundaries that keep us away from finding the joy of keeping our childhood alive. Commenting on the launch of the campaign, <keyword id="7230683" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Prabha-Narasimhan" source="Orion">Prabha Narasimhan</keyword>, Executive Director, Home Care, <keyword id="87377" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="hindustan-unilever-ltd" source="Orion">Hindustan Unilever Ltd</keyword>, said, “This year we wanted to steer our ‘Daag Achhe Hain’ towards bringing the inner child within each of us to life, and experiencing the joy of child-like abandon. With our latest TVC campaign we aim to strike an emotional chord in a slice-of-life context that appeals to every adult. While the context in the film is that of Holi, the message is an all-pervasive one. We hope our consumers connect with it as much as we did while conceptualising it.”

Through its latest Daag Acche Hain campaign, Surf Excel wants you to keep your inner child alive

<ul><li>People are choosing to stay home this year for Holi amid fear of coronavirus.</li><li>You can still celebrate the festival by tapping into live streams and using Holi stickers on WhatsApp, Hike and other social networking platforms.</li><li>Games like Teen Patti Gold and PUBG have also added Holi-themed features.</li></ul>Amid fears of coronavirus and the tense environment created by India’s new citizenship laws, not everyone is in the mood to step out of the house to celebrate Holi, the Indian festival of colours. Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind announced their plans to stay away from Holi celebrations due to the this year because of the coronavirus threat. All over the country, people are taking precautions and avoiding when it comes to mass gatherings. The good news is that you don’t necessarily need to leave your house in order to celebrate Holi. Everything that makes the festival fun — like chilling with friends, splashing throwing colours at each other, and playing games — can be done online. 
	


<div type="image" title="holi2_edited" msid="74546307" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Holi celebrations in Vrindhavan&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>
 Participating in the biggest Holi celebrations across India The biggest Holi celebrations in India are hosted in Uttar Pradesh. You can tune in for what’s happening by tapping into the live stream by <a href="https://vrindavan.tv/">Vrindavan TV.</a> 
	<div type="image" title="holamohalla_edited" msid="74546400" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Hola Mohalla preparations at Anandpur Sahib&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>


 You can even catch the annual <keyword id="2751667" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Warrior-Holi">Warrior Holi</keyword>, or Hola Mohalla, taking place in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOOL-P5Dcks">Anandpur Sahib</a> in Punjab online. Nihangs — Sikh warriors who claim to be descendants of the tenth Guru of the Sikhs, Gobind Singh — perform physical feats and participate in mock battles using real weapons. Getting everyone together One of the biggest pulls of Holi is getting to celebrate the festival with friends and family. One way to undercut the threat of coronavirus and still be in touch is to hop online and get on a video call. WhatsApp, Skype, and Google Hangouts are only some of the options on the table that allow for multiple people on a single one video call. 
	<div type="image" title="holihike" msid="74546457" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;New stickers introduced on Hike for Holi&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>



 You also use social networking apps like Hike and TikTok to share the sentiment of Holi without stepping out. Both introduced new Holi-themed stickers and filters last week. On TikTok, #HappHoli2020 is currently trending. Multiplayer-gaming PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) Mobile is celebrating Holi in its own way. Players can earn items in-game by collecting gulal. The more tasks you complete, the more gulal you have in your kitty, and the more items you can redeem — including outfits, Holi-themed skin for you DP28, and a gulal trail as you jump from the plane. <div type="image" title="holipubg" msid="74546524" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Holi offers on PUBG&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>

 If PUBG isn’t your cup of tea, you can always go old-school with <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2015/03/11/moonfrog-labs/">Teen Patti Gold</a> — a mobile game based on a three-card poker that’s popular in India. The developers just added a new feature that allows players to haul dye and throw paint at one another across the table while playing the game. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/coronavirus-cast-a-shadow-on-holi-traders-report-fewer-customers/articleshow/74505796.cms">Coronavirus cast a shadow on Holi, traders report fewer customers</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/coronavirus-may-make-holi-colours-costlier-by-50-this-year/articleshow/74473922.cms">Coronavirus may make Holi colours costlier by 50% this year</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/vrindavan-will-stay-away-from-holi-amid-coronavirus-outbreak/articleshow/74505820.cms">Vrindavan will stay away from Holi amid coronavirus outbreak</a>

Holi goes online as coronavirus fears keep people at home

<ul class="summary-list"><li>People celebrate the <keyword id="6368818" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="hindu">Hindu</keyword> holiday of Holi with colorful <keyword id="65546" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="powder">powder</keyword> known as gulal.</li><li>One company in Hathras, <keyword id="3658" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="India">India</keyword>, makes over 6,000 tons of gulal every year.</li><li>We went inside the factory churning out powder year-round in the gulal capital of the world.</li></ul>Yellow is one of the most popular colors thrown during Holi. Called gulal, the fine powder is made from a mixture of starch and dyes.One factory in India, Radha Kishan <keyword id="22510" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="color">Color</keyword> World, produces 2,000 tons of gulal annually. It's based in the northern city of <a href="https://www.assocham.org/newsdetail.php?id=5585">Hathras</a>, where most of the world's gulal comes from. We went inside one of the largest manufacturers to see how it's preparing for its first Holi during the pandemic. Ratan Bihari Agrawal and his family are behind <a href="http://www.thecolorpowder.com/contact.htm">Radha Kishan Color World</a>, also known as the <a href="https://rbcolour.com/about.html">Cock Brand</a>."Our business is 80 years old," he told Insider. He and his family have run the company for four generations. One of the main products they produce is gulal, churning out more than 600 pounds of the powder a day. <div type="image" title="Employees prepare Holi toys before celebrations begin" height="1080" width="1440" msid="81764091" hostid="261"></div>In Hathras, Holi powder production brings in more than <a href="https://www.amarujala.com/uttar-pradesh/hathras/hathras-sanjeevani-could-not-meet-the-budget-for-traditional-industries-of-the-district-hathras-news-ali255185086">30 crore rupees</a>, or over $4 million, each year. There are over a <a href="https://www.patrika.com/hathras-news/color-gulal-of-hathras-will-be-scattered-in-nationwide-festival-holi-6699780/">dozen</a> gulal-making facilities in the city alone. The Cock Brand itself employs almost 100 people to focus on five main processes: packaging, handmade processing, controlling the command center, storage, and gulal drying in nearby fields. The company makes both handmade and machine-processed gulal to keep up with demand.<div type="image" title="Woman helping to process pink gulal powder." height="1080" width="1440" msid="81764093" hostid="261"></div>The Cock Brand works with hundreds of colors. Each popular Holi color has at least a dozen hues."Imagine life without colors. Imagine life in black and white. It is boring. Colors give you pop," said Manu Garg, Ratan's brother. "Every color tells a story. Red stands for love. Blue is for royalty. Pink [is] for caring and yellow is for happiness," he said. <div type="image" title="Starch is mixed with water during handmade processing" height="1080" width="1440" msid="81764094" hostid="261"></div>The first part of the process always starts with a starch mixture. Corn starch is the base for the color powder. It's used instead of common bases like talcum because it's less toxic and much lighter. Then, the mixture goes through a grinder before it's baked in the sunlight.While baking is an important step, the city in Uttar Pradesh is prone to rain and even monsoons, which affect when the gulal is dried. In addition, the powder production coincides with the region's farming season. And both factors play a role in how much gulal can be produced before Holi. Ratan recalls times when orders were affected by rain, sometimes losing 60% to 70% of orders.<div type="image" title="This process can take a few hours" height="1080" width="1440" msid="81764096" hostid="261"></div>To prevent loss, Ratan and Manu invested in a mechanized gulal making process. "Within seconds, it converts pure starch directly into gulal. The machine now works 24 hours a day. We only halt the machine on Sunday for greasing," he said.On top of gulal, the company makes over 260 types of gulal-dispensing toys. The Cock Brand sells most of its products straight to businesses, but many gadgets can be found at the Hathras Color Market. Open year-round, it's one of the largest Holi markets in the world.Hathras became the gulal hub due to it's proximity with the Braj region, where Holi celebrations last as long as two weeks. In the city, it's used often. "For any happy occasion, gulal is used. When a candidate wins an election, they celebrate it with gulal." Gulal is also a popular prop in Bollywood movies. "Our gulal is used to show celebration, in serials, movies and stories," Ratan said. <div type="image" title="There are hundreds of different gulal powders" height="1080" width="1440" msid="81764098" hostid="261"></div>The tradition of Holi can be traced back to several Hindu legends about Lord Krishna."When Lord Krishna and Radha Rani play Holi with each other, it shows the emotion of love and compassion," Manu said. Depending on the region, Holi can be a multiday festival or an afternoon celebration. The first evening is known as <a href="https://www.india.com/festivals-events/holi-2021-date-when-is-holi-history-and-significance-of-festival-of-colours-4428040/">Chhoti Holi</a>, or small Holi, and usually involves a symbolic bonfire. The second day is when people of all ages wear white and throw colorful powder at one another.Last year, Holi fell right before the coronavirus was officially declared a global pandemic. But this year, massive crowds of people are celebrating even as India grapples with another spike.Aligarh resident Manpreet Singh said said it was important for the people to come outside this year to celebrate Holi."People were suffocated in their houses," Singh said. "Finally, a festival has arrived, and people have exited their homes and are celebrating it."Still, cases are rising. India reported over <a href="https://www.mohfw.gov.in/">68,000</a> new coronavirus infections on March 28 - the highest single day rise so far this year - taking the nationwide tally well over <a href="https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6">11 million</a>. So far, about <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-holi-2021-states-and-uts-that-have-banned-celebrations-full-list-here-2883141">a dozen</a> Indian states and territories have banned Holi celebrations. <div type="image" title="Bright red gulal is blended" height="1080" width="1440" msid="81764100" hostid="261"></div>"COVID has impacted all the industries all over the world. Moreover, our business is a seasonal business," Manu said.Sales here declined by almost 10% last year. But the company has hopes for high returns in 2021."We hope that this pandemic ends soon and people can enjoy Holi as it is meant to be," Ratan said.

You Searched For "Holi celebrations" and got 11 results

9 Irresistible snacks to spice up your Holi celebration

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More than just colours: India’s festival of color also also has women ‘beating men’ and cannabis milkshakes

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Residents in Mumbai, India, burned an effigy depicting the coronavirus as a big, blue demon during Holi celebrations

Residents in Mumbai, India, burned an effigy depicting the coronavirus as a big, blue demon during Holi celebrations

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Bollywood’s evolving Holi celebrations, on camera and off it

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These photos of Barsana’s Holi celebration will lift your spirits

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Vistara announces Holi discounts; you can book your flights starting at Rs 999

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From Lathmar Holi to Jallikattu: India's most unusual festivals

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Through its latest Daag Acche Hain campaign, Surf Excel wants you to keep your inner child alive

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Holi goes online as coronavirus fears keep people at home

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How a small company in India produces over 2,000 tons of colorful Holi powder each year

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