The festival of Holi Mahotsav celebrates friendship and harmony with dance, music         and colours.              Holi is an ancient festival of India and was originally known as Holika.                             Evidence of this happening goes back to several centuries before Christ. On this day, people are celebrating        the triumph of "good" over "bad".          The festival used to be a special rite performed by married woman for the happiness and well-being of their        families and the worshiping of the full moon.          Gradually this full moon festival became a festival of merrymaking, announcing the start of the spring season.        Holi is celebrated at the end of the winter season, on the last full moon day of the lunar month Phalguna.              Holi is one of the most important and popular Indian Hindu festivals. It is also known as the Festival of Colours.        A tradition of the second day of Holi is to throw coloured powder to ward off illness.                     On this day people get rid of  their old baggage including unwanted items and of course animosity and start a fresh        year ahead. Old foes become friends. In India during Holi days one can see colors of joy everywhere.          Holi Mahotsav celebrates culture, colours and folk and fun.          Holi is the festival of freedom from social norms. Colors and 'gulal' are showered on the people dressed up in           white clothes and the whole community seems to merge into one big fraternity under the guise of colors, without        any distinction of caste, creed, color or sex.          People exchange good wishes, sweets and gifts.        Holi parties are organized in the grounds where people dance to the rhythmic beats of the drums and sing        Holi songs.             'Holi' is the thanksgiving festival of India, where people offer 'hola' or prayer to the Almighty for good harvest and       a bountiful season.