|  Spring time in India, flowers and fields are abloom in their resplendent glory and the country goes wild with people running on the streets and smearing each other with brightly hued powders and coloured water. This is the festival of Holi, celebrated on the day after the full moon in early March every year. |
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| |  Houses are given a fresh coat of color, beautiful floral designs are drawn at the entrance, and powdered colors and spraying pistons are bought. Young men and women mingle freely and participate in dances and cultural programs. Young men throw coloured powder and coloured water on women, using pichkaris. The origin of this custom can be found in the pranks of Krishna, who used to drench milkmaids in the village with water and play various other tricks on them. |
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| |  In earlier days the colors were extracted from a flower that blossoms only during this festival. People used vegetable dyes like those from the tesu or palash flower which gave a lovely yellow colour and was supposed to be good for the skin. The chemical colours now used can be harmful. And the pistons were made of bamboo sticks. But over the years colors are made artificially and pistons made of different materials are available in various designs. |
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