Holi 2019: Google Doodle celebrates the 'festival of colours' with illustration

The festival is split into two events: Holika Dahan and Rangwali Holi

Google is celebrating the Hindu festival of Holi with one of its famous doodles, this time a bright, colourful illustration.

Also known as “the festival of colours” or “the festival of spring”, Holi is celebrated around the world, but particularly in Nepal and India. In South Asia, it typically marks the start of long, hot months head.

The Google Doodle artwork shows people splashing paint on each other, with an orange elephant trunk curling across the front.

Spread over two days, Holi is split into two events: Holika Dahan and Rangwali Holi. This year they fall on 20 March and 21 March respectively.

Holika Dahan is the evening before the more famous, colourful festivities. It involves the ritual burning of pyres and the lighting of bonfires to symbolise good triumphing over evil.

You may have seen pictures of people covered in vibrant, bright powder.

These colours are key to the second part of the celebrations, Rangwali Holi, which is marked around the world.

Colours are key to Holi celebrations, with different colours holding different meanings in the Hindu faith. Green, fore example, represents new beginnings.

The timing of Holi – or ‘the festival of spring’ – depends on the moon, so the date changes every year.

However you can usually expect to celebrate the day in March, which sees the end of winter and the beginning of spring.