10 Ways In Which Holi Is Celebrated In India

A fascinating depiction of the Holi spirit is the famous Lathmar Holi of Mathura. During the celebration, women equip themselves with lathis or canes to playfully hit men or boys. While the men protect themselves with dhals (shields). This practice is all done in good humour and fun, and no aggression is involved at all.

Lathmar is an age-old tradition that has its roots from the Hindu Mythology and is primarily celebrated in parts of Uttar Pradesh like Barsana, Vrindavan and Mathura. The belief around Lathmar celebration is that when Lord Krishna visited Radha's village to play Holi, the women of Radha's village used lathis to chase him away.

In West Bengal, Holi is also known as Basant Utsav and DolJatra. The translation of the word Basant is the season of spring and Utsav means festival, hence the complete translation implies the onset of the spring season. Women mostly dress in yellow colour as the colour signifies abundance.

One place that is popular for Basant Utsav is Shantiniketan in Bolpur. The DholJatra happens the day after Basant Utsav, during which a procession with a Lord Krishna idol is carried out on the streets and is usually accompanied by music, romp and rubbing colour on each other's faces.

In Bihar, Holi is commonly known as Phaguwa. An important part of the Holi celebration is HolikaDahan, during which a pyre is lighted by the locals the night before Holi. This particular custom is also practiced in many other parts of the country.

HolikaDahan denotes the triumph of greater good over evil. On the of Holi, people smear dry and wet colours on each other throughout the day.

In Orissa, Holi is known as Dola and is very similar to the celebration of West Bengal. People celebrate it by playing with colours and processions of Lord Jagannath is taken out on the streets and around different cities.

In Goa, Shigmo is celebrated as the spring festival is a colourful series of festivities that include traditional folk dances, street performances and colourful processions apart from playing with colours

Holi festivities in Manipur goes on for a week. Yaosang is the Manipuri portrayal of Holi is celebrated with unmatched passion. The locals burn huts made out of hay and twigs, have traditional folk dances performed by the young, all the while worshipping Lord Krishna and playing with gulal.

In Uttrakhand, the celebration of Holi calls for a musical gathering. People wear their traditional attires, sing regional songs and move around the city in groups called Tolis.

Hola Mohalla, in reality, is celebrated a day after the festival of Holi, a celebration commemorating the bravery of Sikh Warriors. It is more of a celebration of the courage of Sikh warriors and is distinctive to a sect known as the Nihang Sikhs.

The festivities comprise an extensive display of martial arts, which is followed by music and dance.

Kerala celebrates its version of Holi as Ukuli or ManjalKuli and is played using turmeric. This traditional celebration is common amongst the Konkani and Kudumbi communities of Kerala.

In Maharashtra, Holi is called as Shimga or Rang Panchami. The Shimga celebration is similar to HolikaDahan and marks the start of the festival. On this day, people play with wet and dry colours, and the festivities last for almost a week.

The aftermath of this joyous festival, Holi, can sometimes be undesirable if you are not cautious. The artificial colours and oil-based paints can cause serious complications like asthma and even blindness if inhaled.

At Max Life Insurance, we have different types of insurances and health insurance plans that provide broad coverage at affordable premiums and encourages healthy and safe practices for a vibrant and joyous Holi.

Apart from securing yourself and your family with health insurance plans, take a look at these essential safety tips to help you relish a happy and safe Holi this year:

1. During the eve of Holi, maintain a safe distance from the Holi bonfire to keep yourself and your children safe.

2. During the Holi celebration, it becomes imperative to protect yourself against synthetic colours that contain substance such as lead oxide in black colour, mercury sulphide in red, aluminum bromide in silver and copper sulphate in green. If these colours and materials would penetrate into the skin, they cause various health problems including itching, rashes, and de-colouration (in some cases). Therefore, you need to cover your body with as much clothing as possible to avoid direct contact with the colours.

3. Avoid bright colours like purple, green, yellow and orange. These colours are more likely to contain harmful components.

4. Try to make colours at home with turmeric, marigold flowers or buy organic pigments to use them as colour.

5. Generously moisturize your face, arms and legs with lotion or oil. Waterproof sunscreen can be used to protect your skin from sun damage.

6. Holi colours can turn your hair frizzy and leave it extremely dry. Adequately, massage your hair and scalp with oil to defend it against dangerous chemicals, dirt and dust. As an alternative measure, you can also wear a hat or a cap before you head out for your Holi bash.

7. Wear sunglasses and remove your contact lenses before you venture outside. Immediately wash your eyes with cold water if colours enter your eyes.

8. Wash off any colour immediately if you experience itching or any irritation. Later, apply a calamine lotion or aloe vera gel.

9. Prevent playing outdoors with dry colours if you have asthma.

10. Bhang, Holi's official drink, if consumed in large quantities, can lead to high blood pressure and hiked heart rate. So, make sure you enjoy bhang in moderation and do not mix it with alcohol.

11. Water prevents toxic chemicals from being absorbed into the skin and also helps remove excess toxins. So, drink plenty of water to hydrate yourself before, during and after the celebrations.

12. Remember to respect all sentient forms of life and avoid using colours on any street animals and your pets. Not only does putting colours on animals harmful to them but also amounts to cruelty.

13. Use lots of moisturizer or homemade pastes made out of gram flour (besan) and curd or cream (malai) to replenish and rejuvenate your skin after the festivities.

The tips mentioned above will help you have a happy and joyous Holi [2]. Besides these tips, do consider adding extra protection for you and your family's health by signing up for a health insurance policy. Compare different types of health insurance plans before choosing one that suits your requirements the best. There is no better way to tackle a medical emergency than with a health insurance policy that assures you of financial coverage.