Holi, the annual colorful festival that marks the end of winter and beginning of spring, will be celebrated later this month across North Jersey.

Though the festival has been commercialized with all sorts of marathon events like the Color Run, it’s actually rooted in religious Hindu myths and is one of the biggest Hindu festivals of the year. Many who celebrate it say Holi is about honoring changing seasons,

The festival honours the divine love of Hindu deities Radha and Krishna, and boisterous celebrations are held in the northern Indian cities of Mathura and Vrindavan, believed to be their birthplace. Historical texts suggest the festival has long been celebrated to mark good harvests and seek fertile land.