It’s a Holi-day! Today is the start of the Festival of Colors, a Hindu celebration marking the end of winter. It has a super cool (and vibrant) history, so we asked Rina Singh, author of the children’s book Holi Colors, to tell us about the culture behind what may be the best party ever? Read on for an intro to Holi and the meaning behind its hues.

The History of Holi

Holi is celebrated when the full moon falls in Phalguna, the last month of India’s lunar calendar. There are many legends behind Holi, but two are the most popular.

One is the legend of demon siblings Hiranyakashipu and Holika. Hiranyakashipu was a king who forced his subjects to worship or face death. Ironically, his own son Prahlad worshipped rival Lord Vishnu, so Hiranyakashipu asked his sister to help kill his son. Holika had been granted a special shawl immune to fire, so she convinced Prahlad to sit on a bonfire with her. But Prahlad caught on, and chanted Lord Vishnu’s name, who saved him by blowing Holika’s shawl off. Holika burned to ashes and Prahlad was unhurt. On the first evening of Holi, rituals take place around a bonfire to celebrate this triumph of good over evil. This first day is called Holika Dahan, the death of Holika.

Another story is about the revered Lord Krishna’s love for Radha. Krishna’s skin was a deep blue since a demoness had tried to poison him when he was a baby. He fell in love with beautiful Radha and worried she wouldn’t like him. His mother playfully suggested that he smear some blue powder on Radha’s face so her skin would look like his. When Krishna did this, Radha, too, fell in love with him, and Holi became the festival of colors and love. That’s why the second day is called Rangwali Holi, the festival of colors.

Speaking of, the colors, or gulal, have a deep meaning in Indian culture. Here’s the breakdown:

Red has a special place in both ancient and modern India. The oldest piece of cloth, a bright red, was discovered in India thousands of years ago. Today, it’s seen as a color of life, love, festivals, and especially weddings.

Yellow is synonymous with turmeric, a plant native to India. The spice made with it is used on auspicious occasions and is revered for its healing powers. The color of sunshine also symbolizes light and brightness.

Blue is Lord Krishna’s color reminding everyone of the god in love.

Green symbolizes life, new beginnings, and, most importantly, nature.

Saffron comes from the sacred plant with the same name. Kesar, the Hindi word for saffron, is an integral part of India. It’s used in cooking and religious rituals and is the color of sunrise, sunset, and fire. Sun and fire—Surya and Agni—are two deities Hindus revere. The rising and setting sun signifies rebirth and fire is a symbol of purity.

Bright Pink, which has become even more popular than red in the Holi celebrations, does not have any symbolic meaning. It is just fun to throw, so let’s say it’s a symbol of fun.