Holin.
/ˈhəʊliː/ East India.
The great festival or carnival of the Hindus, held at the approach of the vernal equinox, in honour of Krishna and the Gopīs or milkmaids.
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society > faith > worship > liturgical year > feast, festival > other seasons and feasts > Hindu > [noun] > Hoolee
Holi1622
1622 in W. Foster Eng. Factories India 1622–3 (1908) 76 Eighteen rupp[ees] at once given in pane to certayne banyans at the feast of Wholy.
1687 A. Lovell tr. J. de Thévenot Trav. into Levant iii. 67 That once in his life he might be present at the Feast of Houly.
1698 J. Fryer New Acct. E.-India & Persia 180 In their Hooly, which is at their other Seed-time.
1789 Col. Pearce in Asiatick Researches (1791) 2 333 During the Húlì, when mirth and festivity reign among Hindus of every class.
1789 Col. Pearce in Asiatick Researches (1791) 2 334 The late Shujául Daulah..was very fond of making Húlì-fools.
1801 Asiatic Ann. Reg. 1800 Misc. Tracts 280/1 The hooly, or saturnalia of India, when liberty of speech and action towards superiors are allowed to as great an extent as among the ancient Romans.
1809 T. D. Broughton Lett. Mahratta Camp (1813) 87 We paid the Muha Raj the customary visit at the Hohlee.
1825 R. Heber Jrnl. 6 Mar. in Narr. Journey Upper Provinces India (1828) II. xxiv. 93 During all the time of Hoolee drunkenness is common among the Hindoos.
1910 Encycl. Brit. XIII. 507/2 The Holi, the Indian Saturnalia in the month of Phālguna (February to March).
1921 E. M. Forster Let. 1 Apr. in Hill of Devi (1953) 58 My painted escort (they had been celebrating Holi) were all that is polite.
1958 Listener 13 Nov. 768/1 The great spring game of Holi that they play all over northern India.
1958 Listener 13 Nov. 768/1 Holi used to be the loveliest of festivals.
1969 Eve's Weekly (Bombay) 20 Dec. 67/3 When I was a young girl every year brought Holi with its gay colours.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1899; most recently modified version published online September 2021).
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