What is the main activity during Holi?

The main activity during Holi is throwing colored powders.

During the festival’s best-known celebration, people playfully smear dry pigments on one another and toss them into the air. They may also spray colored water with water guns or splash it from containers. The powders are commonly called gulal or abir, and the color-filled festivities are accompanied by music, dancing, greetings, and festive foods.

Holi’s color play is especially associated with the festival’s main day, often called Rangwali Holi. It follows Holika Dahan, the bonfire ritual held the previous night. The two observances connect the festival’s springtime celebration with stories of devotion, divine love, and the victory of good over evil.

Holi is not primarily a fasting festival, and lighting lamps is more strongly associated with celebrations such as Diwali. Wearing new clothes can be part of the occasion, but it is not the defining activity. Regional customs vary, yet colored powder and water remain Holi’s signature feature.