Holi is the Hindu spring festival of colours, celebrated in India, Nepal and by diaspora communities, when people throw coloured powders (gulal) and water. A bonfire, Holika Dahan, is lit the evening before. These palettes range from full powder brights to soft spring pastels and sweet-shop colours.
Holi palettes
Showing 24 of 24 palettes.
Gulal pinks from soft to magenta with a deep berry for type.
Five powder colours mid-throw: pink, saffron, aqua, blue and violet.
Bright powder splashes on a white kurta. Party invitations and photo backdrops.
Soft spring pastels with a violet ink for gentle greetings and children’s cards.
Saffron and rose with purple and a leaf green.
Milky thandai with rose, pistachio and almond. Sweet-shop menus.
Glow-party colours on black for night-time Holi events.
Marigold yellows and oranges with fresh leaf greens.
The bonfire lit on Holi eve: embers to flame gold.
Indigo and periwinkle with pink and yellow splashes.
Coloured powders on a stone courtyard.
Colours bleeding into each other like wet powder on paper, with a soft grey for outlines.
Magenta and lime with gold and a dark ink.
Golden pastry, dried fruit and a rose: festive sweets.
Six bright colours on white for colour runs and outdoor events.
An evening party: plum, coral and gold.
Water-balloon blues with pink and yellow splashes.
Softer colours like plant-based powders: madder, turmeric, leaf and indigo.
Primary-bright splashes for children’s parties and school crafts.
A clean brand palette with three powder accents on light and dark neutrals.
Water-gun splashes in blue, pink, yellow and green.
A cloud of purple powder with pink and gold.
Orange tree blossoms traditionally used to make colour, with leaf green.
Green powder from pale to deep with a pink splash.
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See the colours in use
Ways to use these colours
Party invitations and posters
Put the powder brights on white so each colour stays clean, and keep text black or deep berry.
Clothes and photo backdrops
White fabric with two or three bright accents photographs best; the pastels suit children’s events.
Sweet boxes and menus
Use Thandai or Gujiya for food packaging and the brights for the label.
Dates
| Date | Where or which tradition | Calendar | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full moon of Phalguna (February or March) | Hindu calendar; dates differ by region | Lunisolar | Varies |