What is Holi?
Holi is the ancient Hindu festival celebrating the arrival of spring and the passing of winter. Also known as the Festival of Colors or the Festival of Love, Avyan and his family share how they celebrate Holi with colors, food and family. This year's celebration takes place on Wednesday, March 8, 2023.
When is Holi?
This year’s celebration takes place on Monday, March 25, 2024. Holi takes place during the 12th Hindu calendar month of the year, Phalguna, with celebrations dating back to the 4th century. Phalguna coincides with February and March in the Gregorian calendar.
How we celebrate Holi, festival of colors
Each year’s Holi celebration brings together crowds of people who celebrate with music, dancing, water guns and balloons, and parties. Join patient Avyan and his family as they share how they and other families like theirs celebrate the Holi, festival of colors.
Bright Holi colors
One of the most important parts of Holi is its bright colors. On the day of Holi, people around the world turn the streets vivid with colored powder that’s thrown into the air and onto each other. Many show up wearing white, so they can showcase the beautiful colors they collect throughout the day.
Each of the Holi colors has a different meaning: red represents fertility; green means spring or new beginnings; and yellow is synonymous with turmeric, a cleansing and anti-inflammatory powder.
On the morning of Holi, Avyan and his family take a plate with different watercolors and rub them on each other's faces before heading outside to splash brightly colored powders on both friends and family.
What Holi really means to us is forgetting all your pain and sorrows and reminding yourself how colorful life can be.
Traditional Holi foods
A spring festival wouldn't be complete without food, and there's no shortage of it in Avyan's home during Holi. Avyan's mom makes the traditional Holi dishes of gujiya, a deep-fried dumpling and puran poli, an Indian flatbread filled with flavorful lentils.
Among other foods, the family also really enjoys a sweet Indian treat called paan ladoo, a ball-shaped food made with coconut, betel leaves and gulkand or rose petal jam.
When it comes to drinks, Avyan's family prepares rose thandai or rose milk, a popular drink around Holi. While not a traditional Holi drink, Avyan loves drinking mango lassi on this day, which is a bright orange drink made with pureed mango and yogurt.
Traditional food prepared for Holi in Avyan's house
Gujiya, deep-fried dumplings, a sweet, deep-fried pastry
Paan ladoo, made with coconut and gulkand or rose petal jam
Why we celebrate Holi festival of colors: Avyan’s story
When Avyan was diagnosed with a brain tumor and his cancer treatment began in 2020, he and his family couldn't celebrate Holi in the traditional way due to Avyan's weakened immune system.
After completing treatment at St. Jude, Avyan was able to celebrate Holi with his family again. He can't wait to throw the powdered color at his friends and family. It's because of the festival of Holi, and all the moments like these, that make them much more meaningful for St. Jude and families like Avyan’s.
Divya and Amrith, Avyan's parents, celebrate Holi
Even in Holi, there are dark colors like black or indigo. When you go through the journey that you are going through, like the kids at St. Jude, always remember that there are dark colors. And then, you have these lighter colors that make you look more vibrant.
Right now, it’s a darker color that you’re in, but there will be a time when you will have the lighter shades, and those will be the colors of spring, recovery and healing that is coming your way.”
Donate for Holi and help kids with cancer
Your donation helps give kids like Avyan a chance to grow up and continue celebrating their favorite holidays with family and friends.
By donating to St. Jude during Holi, festival of colors, you can help ensure families like Avyan’s never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food — so they can focus on helping their child live.
You might also be interested in ...
-
Donate During Diwali
Diwali is the Hindu festival of lights celebrating the victory of light over darkness. Your Diwali donation to St. Jude can help save lives.
-
Seasonal holidays
Celebrate global holidays and observances throughout the year with St. Jude. Discover ways to participate.
-
Get involved with St. Jude
Learn about all the ways you can get involved with St. Jude and help support our lifesaving mission