Also known as Basantutsav (Spring Festival), Holi is a two-day festival that celebrates the triumph of good over evil. The name “holi” comes from the word “hola”, which means offering prayers for a good harvesting season, but the festival also celebrates the arrival of spring—and it’s a fun-filled chance to repair and celebrate relationships.  To celebrate, people clean and decorate their houses with flowers, visit friends and make lots of sweets to share. In some parts of India and Nepal, the night before Holi is celebrated with a bonfire called a Holika Dahan that celebrates the triumph of good over evil. The next day is Rangwali Holi, where people gather in the streets to smear each other with bright powdered colours and drench each other in water fights. This year, Holi begins on March 20th.

Ready to enjoy a taste of some classic (and colourful) Holi recipes with your kids? For a twist on classic Holi recipes, like thandai (a refreshing spiced drink) or gujiya (flaky pastries filled with nuts), this round-up features some delicious ideas, and these rainbow idli from BC blogger Raj Thandhi add an amazing pop of colour to any lunchbox. And there are loads of traditional recipes to sample as well—try dhuska (a crunchy snack based on rice flour and chickpeas), malpua (cardamon-scented sweets) and dahi wada (think deep fried dumplings in yogurt and spices).

We’re also sharing a few recipes for making your own powdered colours at home—but be warned, part of the fun of Holi is making a big mess and having fun while you do it. If your kids are little enough to want to sneak a taste of the colours, try these flour and cornstarch-based recipes. For older kids (and more ambitious parents!) try making your own natural powdered colours from ingredients like dried rose petals or dried orange skins.

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