The tiny maida puris, flavoured with pungent carom seeds, are popular fill-me-ups at Holi.
Did you know some places celebrate Holi with ashes. Others with flowers. Or even with wielding sticks? Let's take a look at some unique Holi traditions.
These stars really know how to whoop it up on Holi every year.
We all love Holi but the festivity can damage our skin. Beauty expert Bhavya Sharma shares essential pre-Holi care tips to help protect your skin and hair.
Warm, flaky gujiya, that are just mildly sweet, are so Holi. Although they are just as popular at Diwali too.
Subhash K Jha lists Holi songs that you have probably never heard.
Every round of tossing colour and playing Holi is punctuated with a tall cold glass of Thandai.
We welcome the Festival of Colours through effervescent Bollywood songs.
Hyderabad police have imposed restrictions on Holi celebrations, prohibiting group vehicle movement and throwing colors on unwilling individuals. BJP MLA Raja Singh criticized the notification, calling it a "Tughlaq farman " and accusing the Congress government of favoring a particular community. He questioned the lack of similar restrictions during Ramzan and alleged that the Congress government is anti-Hindu.
Devotees celebrated Holi at the Kartikeya Mahadev Temple in Khaggu Sarai, Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh for the first time in 46 years. The temple, which was reopened last December after being closed since 1978, saw enthusiastic participation from social and Hindu organisations. The event was held under tight security following communal violence in the area in 2024.
Ahead of Holi, controversial statements by leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and its ally Janata Dal-United in Bihar have heated up politics in the state which goes to the polls this winter.
Holi celebrations have begun. Glimpses from Agra, Varanasi, New Delhi and Patna...
Find out how much you know about the Festival of Colours with our special quiz.
Holi celebration menus need planning. A good mix of sweets and savouries as well as ice-cold drinks because Holi is usually a hot day. We have handpicked 11 recipes just for you!
The mayor of Darbhanga, Bihar, has sparked a controversy by suggesting a two-hour break in Holi celebrations to accommodate Friday prayers during Ramzan. Her proposal has drawn criticism from a BJP MLA, who accused her of calling for 'Ghazwa-e-Hind'. Meanwhile, other politicians have condemned the mayor's suggestion and emphasized the need for communal harmony.
Uttar Pradesh is on high alert as Holi coincides with Friday namaz, prompting authorities to implement additional security measures in the state, including enhanced patrolling, surveillance drones, and strict monitoring of social media. The decision follows controversial remarks made by some politicians and a police officer, raising concerns about potential incidents in mixed population localities. The administration has also decided to cover mosques to prevent them from being stained with colors, while several mosques have shifted the timing of Friday prayers.
Rashmika Mandanna gets us in the mood for Holi with her new song Bam Bam Bhole in Sikandar.
On the way we met many groups moving towards Juhu. If the group was smaller than us we gave them a dose of colour and if the group was bigger we tried to pass silently. Sometime it worked, other times we got drowned in colour.
With only a few days to go before the country celebrates Holi, several airline companies offered discounts on fares on the occasion of the festival of colours. While two airlines are providing discounts on both domestic and international networks, another has the offer only for the domestic sector. Low-cost airline Akasa Air said it is offering an all-inclusive one-way fare starting at Rs 1,499 on domestic routes.
Food blogger Siddhi Panchal shares her secret recipe.
For a few months an Indian Olympic Association ad-hoc panel ran the show but after UWW lifted its suspension following the conduct of elections, the committee was dissolved.
The city of Shahjahanpur in India celebrates Holi with a unique procession called "Laat Saheb," where revellers hurl footwear at a man impersonating a British Lord. The tradition dates back to the 18th century and has evolved over time. The procession involves a seven-kilometer route, prayers at a temple, and a symbolic bribe offered to the police. The event is marked by strict security measures, including barricades, CCTV cameras, and the covering of mosques with tarpaulins. The procession is seen as a way to commemorate the city's history of freedom fighters and to discourage the British colonizers.
Traditional Lathmar Holi festivities commenced in Nandagaon on Sunday, marking the beginning of the week-long Holi celebrations in Mathura.
A BJP leader in Uttar Pradesh has sparked controversy by suggesting that Muslim men cover themselves with tarpaulins to avoid being sprinkled with colors on Holi. The remarks, made by Raghuraj Singh, come days after a police officer in Sambhal made similar comments. The festival of Holi coincides with the second Friday of the month of Ramzan this year, leading to concerns about potential clashes. The controversy has fueled tensions between Hindu and Muslim communities in the state, highlighting the sensitive nature of religious festivals in India.
Haribhushan Thakur Bachaul, the MLA from Bisfi assembly constituency in Madhubani district, made these remarks while speaking to reporters at the Vidhan Sabha premises.
Aligarh BJP MP Satish Gautam has sparked a controversy over the celebration of Holi at Aligarh Muslim University, declaring that "no one can stop anyone from celebrating Holi inside the AMU campus". The controversy erupted after members of right wing Hindu groups accused the AMU administration of denying permission to the Hindu students to organise a 'Holi Milan' function on campus. Gautam has extended his support to Hindu students, saying, "If any Hindu student faces any problem in celebrating Holi inside the campus, then I am there to help him."
Ready to splash in Bollywood's brand of colours with Sukanya Verma's Holi special quiz?
Amid demands for allowing Holi celebration on the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) campus, its administration has decided that students can do so "freely" at the Non-Resident Students Centre Hall. The decision came after a controversy erupted when members of a right-wing group accused the university administration of denying permission to Hindu students to organize a 'Holi Milan' function on campus. However, the university administration clarified that the decision to allow Holi celebrations at the NRSC Hall was taken because of an AMU board examination scheduled for March 9. The administration further stated that March 10, 11, and 12 are working days and there will be classes, while March 13 and 14 are holidays, making them suitable for celebrations.
Authorities in the communally sensitive city of Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, have deployed seven companies of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) ahead of Holi and the first Friday of Ramzan, which fall on the same day. Peace committee meetings have been held to ensure peaceful celebrations, with Hindus agreeing to play Holi till 2:30 pm and Muslims to offer Jumma namaz after that time.
A police officer in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, has sparked outrage after suggesting that those uncomfortable with Holi colors should remain indoors, drawing criticism from opposition parties who accused him of bias and demanded action. The officer's remarks came during a peace committee meeting ahead of Holi, which coincides with Friday prayers during Ramzan. Opposition leaders condemned the statements, calling them "condemnable" and accusing the officer of acting as a "BJP agent." They demanded action against him for his "political statement." The incident comes after violence erupted in Sambhal last year during protests against a court-ordered survey of a Mughal-era mosque.
A college in Madhya Pradesh's Indore has expelled four student leaders after they were found guilty of holding 150 people, including the female principal and professors, hostage for denial of permission to a Holi programme on the campus, its top official said on Friday.
Certain spots on the India map play Holi even more colourfully, joyfully than other places. To experience the most beautiful of Holi celebrations, plan to spend the festival at one of them.
Passengers in large numbers throng a station in Patna, here and below, to board trains for their native places ahead of Holi.
Priests at the famed Banke Bihari temple in Vrindavan have rejected a demand to stop using attires made by Muslim artisans for its deity, emphasizing that religious discrimination has no place in temple traditions. The demand was raised by a right-wing group, who argued that the deity's attire should be made only by those who adhere to "religious purity." The temple priests countered by highlighting the historical contributions of Muslim artisans to temple traditions and the impracticality of replacing them.
An Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) team on Thursday carried out measurements and assessments ahead of the planned whitewashing and renovation work of the Shahi Jama Masjid, officials said.
A 28-year-old man was arrested in Pune, Maharashtra for faking his own abduction to extort money from his father. Pradeep Chauhan sent a message to his father claiming he had been kidnapped and then switched off his phone. His father, Rama Shankar Chauhan, reported the matter to the police, who traced Pradeep's location to Pune. Pradeep admitted to faking the kidnapping and was arrested. He was granted bail after his father pleaded for his release.
Despite recent fatal stampedes at the Kumbh Mela and a Delhi railway station, pilgrims, driven by faith, continue to participate in the holy gathering in Prayagraj. Despite safety concerns, pilgrims from across India are undeterred by the tragedy and are taking the holy dip at the Triveni Sangam.
As he turns 60, Deepa Gahlot offers an Aamir Khan film festival at your own home!
Every wheelchair at the Armed Forces' Paraplegic Rehabilitation Centre in Pune is a story of sacrifice and strength, of courage, resilience and unbreakable spirit.
'We were struck by the sheer energy even before we stepped into the holy water,' says T N Sekhar.
© 2025 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances