Holi in Nepal: How to Enjoy the Festival of Colours

One morning in late February or March, perfectly respectable people across Nepal step outside and start throwing coloured powder at each other. This is Holi, known locally as Fagu Purnima, the festival that marks the end of winter. For a visitor it can be either a joyful free-for-all or an ordeal, depending largely on preparation.

The meaning behind the mess

Holi is linked to several Hindu stories. The best known tells of Prahlad, a boy devoted to the god Vishnu, whose demon aunt Holika tried to burn him alive and was consumed by the flames herself. The festival also recalls the playful god Krishna, who is said to have coloured the faces of his companions. At heart it celebrates spring, the victory of good and a day on which social distinctions are set aside.

When it happens

The festival falls on the full moon of the lunar month of Falgun. In Nepal it is celebrated on two consecutive days: first in the hill regions, including Kathmandu and Pokhara, and on the following day in the Terai plains. Check the dates for the year, since they move.

In Kathmandu, the season officially opens about a week earlier, when a tall bamboo pole draped with strips of cloth is raised in the old palace square. It is taken down and burned on the eve of the main day.

What actually happens

From mid-morning, people gather in streets, squares and courtyards with bags of bright powder in pink, yellow, green, blue and purple. Friends smear each other's cheeks and shout "Happy Holi". Strangers do the same. Water is thrown from buckets, squirted from plastic pumps and dropped from balconies in balloons. Music plays from loudspeakers, and by noon everyone is the same blotchy rainbow colour.

Things wind down by mid-afternoon, when people go home to wash, eat and sleep.

Where to go

Kathmandu Durbar Square (Basantapur). The traditional centre of the celebrations, packed and exuberant.

Thamel. The tourist district hosts street parties and organised events with music, popular with young Nepalis and visitors.

Pokhara Lakeside. A relaxed, friendly version, with the main road closed to traffic for a party beside the lake.

Hotel and club events. Ticketed parties with DJs, organic colours and controlled entry offer a safer, less chaotic way to join in.

The Terai. In lowland towns such as Janakpur and Birgunj, Holi is celebrated on a grand scale in a style close to that of North India.

With a family. If you know anyone local, a courtyard celebration is the gentlest and most enjoyable introduction.

What to wear and bring

• Old clothes you are prepared to throw away. White shows the colours best. The dye does not always wash out.

• Coconut or other oil rubbed into your skin and hair beforehand. It stops the colour staining.

• Sunglasses to protect your eyes.

• A bandana or cap for your hair.

• A waterproof pouch for phone and money. Leave cameras behind or wrap them thoroughly.

• Closed shoes you do not mind ruining.

• Your own powder, bought from a shop selling natural or herbal colours.

Leave valuables and passports at the hotel.

Staying comfortable and safe

Most participants are simply having fun. A few points are worth knowing, however.

• Go in a group, and go in the morning. The atmosphere is best before lunch.

• Women should be aware that some men use the festival as cover for groping. Stay with companions, choose organised events or family settings, and do not hesitate to push someone away and say no loudly. Bystanders will usually support you.

• Avoid intoxicated crowds. Alcohol and drinks containing cannabis are consumed by some revellers, and behaviour deteriorates as the day goes on.

• Protect eyes and mouth. Cheap synthetic powders can irritate. If colour gets in your eyes, rinse with clean water.

• Watch for water balloons from above in the days before the festival, especially in the old city. Authorities discourage it, but it still happens.

• Say no if you want to. Holding up a hand and saying "no Holi, please" is generally respected, though staying indoors until mid-afternoon is the only sure way to remain clean.

If you would rather watch

Find a café with a balcony overlooking a main street, order a pot of tea and enjoy the spectacle from a safe height. By four o'clock the streets are empty, strewn with powder and plastic bags, and the city looks as if it has been tie-dyed.

Holi is brief, loud and silly. Dressed for it and in good company, it is also one of the happiest mornings you can spend in Nepal.