Who Celebrates Holi?
Holi is the Festival of Colors, Festival of Lights, and Festival of Love celebrated in India. It is celebrated on the last full moon of the Hindu calendar, usually falling in March. While Holi (pronounced Holy) originated in India, it is now an international holiday celebrated by Hindus and Sikhs around the world. Teaching about the cultures and traditions of Holi opens our students’ eyes to global cultures and traditions and also instills pride in students as we feature their heritage.
How is Holi Celebrated?
During this special festival signifying the beginning of Spring, people gather around roaring bonfires to celebrate. Sikhs and Hindus sing and dance to traditional music while throwing brightly-colored neon powders called gulal at one another. Getting messy is one of the many fun parts of Holi! There are also many delicious, traditional foods to cook and eat.
Join Globally Taught to celebrate the unique cultural traditions of Holi celebrated by Hindus and Sikhs around the world. Globally Taught offers a no-prep resource for Holi that includes an interactive flipbook, authentic crafts, five-senses writing activities, and comprehension questions to respond to the reading.
How to Make Gulal Powder
Gulal is the brightly-colored powder used to celebrate Holi. Many people buy it, but it is easy to make, although a bit messy! To make gulal, you will need cornstarch, water, food coloring, gloves, newspaper, bowls, and utensils.
- Starting by covering a table in newspaper. If students are participating, they should wear gloves to avoid dying their hands from the food coloring. Food coloring can dye your hands and fingernails, so investing in gloves is worth the cost.
2. Add the cornstarch to a paper plate. Slowly add water and stir with a spoon until all the flour is wet and is no longer clumpy. You want a thick paste that has a smooth texture.
3. Add the food coloring and mix until you achieve the color you like.
4. Mix again with your hands or a spoon until it is a smooth consistency. The mixture should form a thin layer over the paper plate to ensure fast drying.
5. Let the mixture dry for 1-2 days. The drying process can be sped up using a baking sheet at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes.
6. When the mixture is dry, gently crumble it with your hands until there are no clumps in it.
7. Store the gulal in containers or plastic bags.
Globally Taught designed a range of engaging, cultural, and interactive, Holi activities that can be found at Globally Taught on Teachers Pay Teachers. This resource contains everything you need to introduce and celebrate Holi in your classroom or at home.