By IRNA
Tehran : The Festival of Spring is celebrated every year in March in India and other regions where Aryans have settled down during the process of their westward migration to East, gaining control over most northern parts of India.
That was after pushing the native Dravidians to far South into the current South Indian states, including Kerala and Tamilnadu.
Compared to Iran, when Noruz celebrations start on March 21, marking the beginning of the new year, the festival of Spring, called `Holi’, begins in India on March 4.
The Holi followers have lots of shared characteristics originally, but underwent drastic changes with the passage of time.
Like the Zoroastrians of Iran, the Indian Aryans, or Hindus, as they are known today, too, worship fire.
Holi, or the festival of Spring, is also celebrated by them by setting on fire huge wooden logs which burn for days.
They also sprinkle water and spray bright colored powders and liquids on each other to signify the blossoming of pretty colorful flowers that blossom in Spring.
The Indian Aryans languages, too, is the language of Avesta, an ancient Iranian prophet.
But Sanskrit is still spoken and Avestan language has been transformed into modern Persian after the glorious advent of Islam and then the Indians embraced this celestail gift.
However, Ferdowsi, the great Iranian linguist, poet and composer of Shahnama (Book of the Kings), one of the greatest masterpieces of the Persian language, tried to revive the old and significant characteristics of this sweet language.
Although Holi, the festival of spring, is celebrated all over India, the nature of festivities vary from state to state according to the local beliefs and traditions.
In Muslim dominated Kashmir, for instance, the people celebrate Noruz rather than Holi and it is rather considered a religious festivity.
In most other parts of India though, Holi is celebrated and fire is worshipped and kept aflame for several days and in certain places for many weeks.
In the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, the Holi festivities are celebrated wholeheartedly and with greatest fervor.
The people sing and dance around fire all night long and spray colored water on each other during the days.
The Holi celebrations are held in certain places for as long as a month.
In the city of Shahjahanpour, in Uttar Pradesh State, the Holi festivities are marked by staging a vast scale exhibition and arranging for a carnival at which the people participate along with all their family members from far flung areas and enjoy day and night, while buying lots of souvenirs and handicrafts.
The Holi Festival has romantic characteristics too, and thus young girls and boys are more enthusiastic about celebrating it by spraying colorful liquids and sprinkling colored powders on each other.