Holi

With the departure of winter’s chill and the first whispers of spring, typically in February or March, Kathmandu erupts in a riot of color for Holi, the joyous Festival of Colors. This vibrant Hindu festival symbolizes the triumph of good over evil, the arrival of spring, and the mending of relationships. The city transforms into a playful battleground where people of all ages enthusiastically throw colorful powders (gulal) and douse each other with water using pichkaris (water guns). Streets become alive with laughter, music, and dancing, as social barriers temporarily dissolve and everyone participates in the cheerful revelry. While the festival has mythological roots tied to the burning of the demoness Holika, in modern Kathmandu, it is a day of pure uninhibited fun and celebration, welcoming warmer weather and the blossoming of nature after the colder months.