What is Holi commonly called?

Holi is commonly called the Festival of Colors. The nickname refers to the vivid powders and colored water that celebrants throw, smear, and spray during the festival’s best-known public celebrations.

Holi is an ancient Hindu festival associated with spring, renewal, love, and the triumph of good over evil. It is usually celebrated around the full moon of Phalguna, a lunar month that generally falls in February or March. The main color-filled day is often called Rangwali Holi, while regional names include Dhulandi, Dhuleti, and Phagwah.

The festival also carries major religious stories. One concerns Prahlada’s devotion to Vishnu and the burning of Holika, whose defeat represents the victory of righteousness. In Braj, Holi is strongly connected with Radha and Krishna, whose playful exchanges of color help explain the festival’s joyful atmosphere.

“Festival of Spring” is also a defensible description because Holi marks winter’s end and spring’s arrival. However, “Festival of Colors” is the most recognizable English nickname. Diwali is the festival commonly called the Festival of Lights, so it is a frequent quiz-answer mix-up.