Holi - the Festival of Colors

It seems every blogger this week has featured a post about Holi. The photos above, from a collection of 27 at Boston.com's The Big Picture, show why. With so many crises in the world and so much doom and gloom on the web, it's refreshing to encounter people who are so joyful.

Last Wednesday (March 11th), people in India and other countries with large Hindu populations celebrated Holi, the Festival of Colors. Holi is celebrated as a welcoming of Spring, and a celebration of the triumph of good over evil. What that translates to in action is an enthusiastic dropping of inhibitions, as people chase each other and playfully splash colorful paint, powder and water on each other. People also attend bonfires to commemorate the story of Prahlada, a Hindu figure and devout follower of Lord Vishnu who prevailed over his father and the demoness Holika with the power of his devotion.

Unfortunately, even Holi has some grim moments (see the post below this one).