Kathmandu : Fagu Poornima, or Holi, the festival of colors, is being celebrated with great enthusiasm in the hilly areas, including the capital, today, and will continue tomorrow in the Terai region.

The festival, also known as the Spring Festival, marks the arrival of spring and the harvest season. The first day of the festival is called Chhoti Holi or Holika Dahan, while the second day is Dhuleti or Holi.

Holika Dahan symbolizes the triumph of good over evil and is marked by lighting a bonfire and performing a special puja to burn away evil spirits.

On the following day, people celebrate by smearing one another with various colors, including Abir (red vermilion powder).

Among Nepal’s many cultural festivals, Fagu Poornima stands out for its unique significance and widespread celebration. People of all ages take part in the festival with great enthusiasm.

It is one of the most widely observed festivals in the country, beginning on the eighth day of the new moon and culminating in the burning of the ‘Chir’—a symbol of the festival—on the full moon day later today.

According to Hindu mythology, the demon king Hiranyakashyapu, enraged by his son Prahlad’s unwavering devotion to Lord Vishnu, ordered his sister Holika to kill Prahlad. Holika, who had a boon that made her immune to fire, sat in a fire with Prahlad on her lap, but while Holika was consumed by the flames, Prahlad remained unharmed due to Lord Vishnu’s protection.

Since then, the festival, also known as Holi, has been celebrated with joy and the tradition of smearing colors. There is a popular saying that Lord Vishnu told Holika that her boon would be meaningless if misused.

Many senior people believe that any ill omens can be avoided by applying “Tika” made from the ashes of the ‘Chir’ on one’s forehead or keeping it in the house.