Rangoli for Holi

On Tuesday at Fagley, the children took part in Faith Day, which focused on the Hindu Celebration Holi. Holi is a joyous and colourful festival that celebrates the end of winter and the coming of spring as well as the triumph of good over evil. The festivities include the throwing of coloured powder.

The coloured powder - or gulal - thrown during the festival come from the legend of Krishna, whose skin was dark blue. Worried he wouldn't be accepted by his love Radha, he mischievously coloured her face to make her like himself.

Today, anyone at Holi is fair game to be covered in the perfumed powder as a celebration of Krishna and Radha's love, regardless of age or social status. The powder also signifies the coming of spring and all the new colours it brings to nature.

Historically, the gulal was made of turmeric, paste and flower extracts, but today synthetic versions are largely used.

The four main powder colours are used to represent different things. Red reflects love and fertility, blue is the colour of Krishna, yellow is the colour of turmeric and green symbolises spring and new beginnings*

Hindus also often decorate the floor outside the entrance to their homes with rangoli. Rangoli are made from coloured pigments, rice, flour or sand and are fashioned into ornate geometric patterns or flowers and animals. Rangoli are thought to bring good luck and prosperity to the home.

Taking inspiration from this, in the woods today, the children chose to create their own rangoli using coloured sand and drawing their ideas from patterns and plants they observed.

*Daily Telegraph