KATHMANDU, March 1: The Holi, which is also known as the festival of colors, is being celebrated with much fanfare across the country on Thursday.
Considered as the second biggest religious festival after Dipawali, it is celebrated by the Hindus as per Hindu calendar.
A legend has it that fire-resistant Holika put herself along with her son Prahlad in fire for his religious devotion to god Bishnu. However, her son Prahlad remained unharmed while Holika got destroyed in the fire for inflicting injustices on her son. Since then the Hindus have been celebrating Holi as the triumph of justice over injustices.
In most regions, the Holi festival is celebrated for two days. The first day is known as Chhoti Holi or Holika Dahan when the bonfires are lit. The second day is known as Rangwali Holi - the day when people play with colored powder and colored water.
Wet color is applied on the face and is made on the spot by mixing little amount of water with dry colored powder. More enthusiastic Holi folks mix dry colored powder in full bucket of water to drench complete body in wet color.
Holi being observed in Tarai today
This festival is celebrated today (Thursday) in the hills and on Friday in the Tarai region. The government has also given public holiday on the day of Holi.
The Holi celebration is also taken as the one that creates environment for socialization, driving away the feud and enmity subsisting among the people.
It is also believed that the festival promotes social harmony, integrity, goodwill, mutual cooperation in the society.
President, Vice-President - Holi Greetings
President Bidya Devi Bhandari has extended her best wishes to all Nepali people on the occasion of Fagu Poornima-2074 BS.
In a message of best wishes delivered today, President Bhandari said that the festival has helped in maintaining social harmony among all Nepali people and keeping the national unity.
While noting that all Nepali people celebrate this festival with fanfare in the country which is the epitome of ethnic, religious and cultural diversity, President Bhandari wished that the great festival may bring happiness and excitement among all the Nepali people.
The President also wished that the festival may encourage us to keep the unity, harmony and tolerance among all Nepali people intact.
Meanwhile, delivering the Holu greetings, Vice-President Nanda Bahadur Pun said that the festival would enhance mutual harmony, tolerance and fraternity by uniting the Nepali society and strengthen nationalism.
Vice-President Pun expressed his confidence that the festival would inspire all Nepali people to be a part of the mega campaign of building prosperous country with the socio-economic transformation of each Nepali people.
PM's greetings on Fagu Purnima
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has expressed his best wishes to all Nepalis at home and abroad on the occasion of Fagu Purnima.
In a message today, the Prime Minister has expressed his confidence that the Holi festival would play vital role to promote goodwill among Nepalis.
PM Oli has also wished for excitement and happiness to all Nepalis by Fagu Purnima. "May this festival support to promote brotherhood and closeness to the Nepalis of all communities," PM Oli said in his message.
