At one time, everyone in Bollywood, from the star worth her / his twinkle to the top-of-the-rung clapper boy, would congregate on Holi at RK Studio. An invitation to participate in the festivities at RK Studio meant that you had arrived in Bollywood. The late Raj Kapoor's daughter-in-law, Neetu Kapoor, recalls, "All the men would be dunked in water. There would be singing and dancing, food and fun." After Raj Kapoor passed away, these festivities have stopped at RK Studios but continue elsewhere. Today, Amitabh Bachchan seems to have inherited the Holi mantle. Now stars flock to the Bachchan bungalow for a spot of colour, foot, fun and bhang.

Although Holi, unfortunately, come to be associated with ribaldry and eve-teasing, there were certain common elements that pervade the festivities all over the country, such as playing with colours, lighting a bonfire or the general spirit of fun and laughter. While the Punjabis give vent to this spirit through the material arts, in Barsana, near Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, men resort to the age-old machismo factor-teasing women (though in a light vein of course). In the North-East, this spirit translates itself into dancing in the moonlight.

Though each region has its own interpretation for the bonfire, the fact is that celebrations in most parts of the country do include this ritual. Bonfires generally signify the burning of Holika and the triumph of good over evil. According to an other version, the celebration marks the victory of the child Krishna who sucked the life out of Pootna, Kansa's demon sister deputed to kill the child. For the skeptics of mythology, a bonfire in March helps to drive away germs at the end of winter and to usher in the season of spring. MORE........