Holi

King Hiranyakashipu, blessed with near-invincibility, demanded worship for himself. His son Prahlada refused, devoted only to Lord Vishnu. The king's sister Holika, immune to fire, sat with Prahlada in a pyre to kill him — but Vishnu's protection turned the fire against her. Prahlada survived, Holika burned, and the night is remembered as Holika Dahan.

Holi marks the victory of devotion over arrogance and the arrival of spring. The next day, Rangwali Holi, dissolves social barriers — friends and strangers, rich and poor, all become one in colour.