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Celebrated with great fervour during the full-moon day of Phalguna (March), holi  (Holaka  or  Phagwa),  symbolizes equality. Holi assembles people of all ages, castes, gender and status:  elders and youngsters, wealthy and the poor, bosses and employees, men and women get together in the yards and streets to smear each other with coloured powder or spray coloured water from bamboo blowpipes (pichkari). There are a number of traditions, beliefs and legends associated with this great festival. Celebrating the arrival of spring. Some celebrate holi as an agricultural festival. The colored powder signifies the end of winter and the arrival of spring when nature manifests itself with different colours. Trees, flowers, birds, and butterflies welcome spring by creating colourful scenery and people play with colours. Creating equality. A story also claims that Mongol Emperor Akbar once ordered to cover everyone with color to ...

Maha Shivaratree 2020 was celebrated on Friday 21st February . The devotees from all parts of the island  are converged  towards the sacred lake, Grand Bassin, to bring back the holy Ganga water to pour on the shivling for the great night of Shiva. A panoply of colorful kanwars, big and small can always be seen at Grand Bassin during the Maha Shivaratree festival, a great delight for the eyes. The kanwars have always been an integral part of the festival. The devotees'  put all their craftmanship and efforts to build their kanwars. Some begin to build them since months. See also: Maha Shivaratree 2009  Maha Shivaratree 2010 Maha Shivaratree 2011 Maha Shivaratree 2012 Maha Shivaratree 2013 Maha Shivaratree 2014 Maha Shivaratree 2015 Maha Shivaratree 2016 Maha Shivaratree 2017 Maha Shivaratree 2018 Maha Shivaratree 2019 Maha Shivaratree 2020 ...