Fagu Purnima
Fagu Purnima or Holi takes place on the last day of Falgun. In Nepal, a wooden post, known as a chir is adorned with flags and erected in front of the palace. It is burned at night, representing the burning of the body of the old year. This is a festival of water and colors. This day is observed to rejoice the extermination of female demon Holika who together with her King brother conspired to kill his son Prahlad, an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu.
Holi technically begins once the ‘chir’ is erected even though the actual day is a week later. In the Kathmandu valley and most of the other places, Fagu is celebrated on the first full moon after the ‘chir’ ceremony. In the Terai region of Nepal, Holi is celebrated the day after. This day, playful people especially the young ones wander through the streets in groups on foot or vehicles with various colors smeared all over them and the people in houses make merry throwing colors and water balloons at each other and also to these people on the streets. It’s better to hide your good clothes, for throughout the week you may be splashed with colored powder and water balloons. The last day is the wildest, youths covered with red vermilion powder roam the streets as inviting targets.
Chir, a wooden post
