Prachanda celebrating holi in his residency

If you want to experience one of Nepal’s most lively and colorful festivals you can think of planning your trek to Everest Base Camp at the same time as the spring festival of Holi. One of the most important festivals celebrated during the year by Hindus in both Nepal and India. The festival marks the start of spring and the triumph of good will. Nepal is dominantly a Hindu country so this is one of the most important festivals of the year as well as an official holiday.

The night before Holi starts with bonfires which are lit right on the city streets. If you are in Nepal you won’t see this so much but if you happen to be in Mumbai or some cities in India these are quite common and quite impressive and some estimates that over 30,000 fires burn across India lighting up the night sky in anticipation of this event. I remember one time taking off on an airplane from Mumbai and seeing the impressive site of all the fires in the streets below and smoke rising from the city. The fire is lit to celebrate the death of Holika a demoness who is said to have been killed by being thrown in a bonfire.

-