Nepal celebrates Holi, Festival of Colours
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Holi, the festival of colours, as known as Fagu Purnima (full moon) in Nepal, marks the arrival of spring. Traditionally a romantic celebration of spring within one's inner circles, the festival has taken a turn in the now-overcrowded capital- becoming a curious mix of raucous water-fights, hooliganism and traditional beliefs.
Gangs of young men roam the streets with an array of coloured powders and water-bombs to attack unsuspecting passers-by. In Kathmandu's Durbar Square, as youths celebrate rowdily, a steady stream of pilgrims pay homage at the "chir", a 25-feet tall bamboo pole erected in the middle of the square to symbolize a tree where Lord Krishna placed the clothes of the Gopini milkmaids bathing in the Jamuna river.
Along with its seasonal significance, Holi is a festival abound with legends. Most popular is of all is the tale of hero Prahlad's victory over the the demoness Holika, from which the festival acquired its name.
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