SN Promotion Calendar: Holi (Mar. 20)

2019-03-04

The exuberant, color-abundant Hindu festival of Holi marks not only the beginning of Spring, but also a day to forget and forgive past errors and conflicts. Though many stories are told to explain the origins of the festival, the most widely accepted is that of Krishna and his bride, Radha.

Feeling self-conscious about his blue skin, Krishna playfully smeared paint on Radha’s face at his mother’s behest. It worked, and they became a couple. Thus, the colored powder, or gulal, used during Rangwali Holi—the day following the burning of sacred bonfires—is blue, yellow, green and red.

Blue is for Krishna and serves as a reminder that evil exists but can be contained through courage and good deeds. Yellow is used for its long association with deities like Lord Vishnu and Krishna, as they are almost always artistically depicted as wearing sunshine yellow garb. Green symbolizes nature and happiness and red is the color of weddings, life and festivals.

For more notable people, celebrations and ideas for your school nutrition operations, visit schoolnutrition.org/PromoCalendar.

Art credit: gettyimages.com