The sun was bright and Arjun felt the rays wrap him. "Holi Festival is here!" he yelled.

Mom had her face wrapped in a scarf. She smiled and made the sweets. She wrapped one of the sweets in a cloth. "The festival is a time to spread joy, Arjun. It is a time when we mark the end of winter and welcome spring. We honor good over evil."

At sunset, Arjun and his family made a fire. They burned leaves and twigs. "Out with the old, in with the new," Mom said. As the flames climbed higher and wrinkled in the sky, Arjun and his mom did a dance.

The next morning, Arjun put on a plain white shirt and pants. His pals knocked on the door. They were dressed in white and held pails of dust. "Time for the festival!" they said with a grin.

Arjun and his pals went outside and set the dust on a table. They wriggled and covered their hands in dust. Swish! Swirl! They ran and spun, tossing the bright mix. Red, pink, blue, and green dust stuck to their face, limbs, and pants.

Arjun climbed a tree. "Watch out!" He flung blue dust at his pal. "I got you!" he yelled.

His pal Dev giggled. They ran to grab more dust and tossed it back and forth. The wind spun the red, gold, and green dust high.

Drip! Drop! Arjun felt a cold drop hit his wrist. Then another. Arjun felt a knot in his tummy. He did not want the rain to wreck the festival.

A gust of wind wrecked the neat piles of dust. More drops fell. Arjun gasped. Soon, rain gushed down. The dust turned to thick pulp. Arjun and his pals ran and knelt down for cover under a tree.

Arjun stood still. He knew Holi could not stop. He dipped his hand into a thick pot of red. "Watch this!" he called. He wriggled his fingers in the wet dust and flung it. Plop! The red mixed with rain and made a streak on Dev's cheek.

Dev blinked. Then he grinned. "You are right! Let us play in the rain!" The kids jumped into puddles. They stomped, splashed, and giggled. The rain mixed the dust in fun new ways.

Mom and Dad stepped out. Dad wiped his wet brow and gave a grin. "This festival is one to remember!"

Mom nodded. "The festival is for love and joy, rain or shine." Arjun flung his arms wide. "It is fun, no matter what!" The rain fell, dust swirled and the kids giggled and played.