Today marks the start of Holi, a Hindu celebration known as the festival of colours. Revellers throw brightly coloured powder and water balloons at each other on the streets as part of the festivities, as well as singing, dancing and gathering around bonfires. In India the festival is held over two days. On the first, families pray and sing and dance around a bonfire which symbolises cleansing. On the second day, participants take to the streets to douse each other with coloured powder while firing water pistols and throwing water balloons. The coloured powders, known as gulal, were traditionally made from natural sources like turmeric and indigo and believed to have healing properties. Now they are typically made from synthetic materials and are coloured bright yellow, pink, green, red, blue and various colours of the rainbow.