In Sanskrit HOLAK means half baked/roasted shami grain like barley, wheat, etc. p246, Arya Parva Paddhati- Pt Bhawaniprasad. [ http://vedickranti.in/books-details.php?action=view&book_id=96 ]. Holi is the hindi apbhransh ofthe sanskrit word holak.

Ayurvedic benefits of holak : In spring/vasant the glaciers melt and increase water in the rivers. Similiarly, body fat melts and enters the blood stream. If left unattended, it will create common cold etc. Holak grain reduces kapha and fatigue and increase a little vata. [Bhav prakash]. This also signals the start of eating of sattu [roasted gram and barley] in Aashad/summer to reduce pitta, etc.

Why don’t we eat it alone? Rigved says ‘Kevalagho Bhavati Kevaladi’ or he who eats alone is accumulating paap/bad deeds. Similiarly sage manu [3.118] admonishes the person eating alone.

Why should the arya people [especially farmers] be happy to receive the aashadhi [saadhi] harvest ? Because this harvest is seldom lost even during famine!!

Russians too celebrate this festival as maslenitsa . http://rbth.ru/arts/2013/03/11/maslenitsa_russians_start_celebrating_pagan_spring_festival_23631.html

http://www.squidoo.com/russian-spring-festival

UK pancake festival.

http://www.timeout.com/london/things-to-do/pancake-day-in-london

Other pagan pre Lenten festivals in different countries are:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnival

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mardi_Gras

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swabian-Alemannic-Fastnacht

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslenitsa

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pancake_Day

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrove_Tuesday

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baklahorani

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khamis_el_sakara

Clothing: Clothing can be changed after holak to the light coloured cottons so that one  can enjoy summer.

Relationship management: On this day enemies can embrace each other and make a new beginning of friendship.

Playing holi with women : It is not allowed. Did Lakshman ever look at Sita above her feet? How then, can we touch other women on the pretext of coloring them?

Alcohol and other drugs: Not allowed. Do these things improve our intellect or body?

What about Prahlad and holika burning? That is a story.

What should we throw on others? Throw gulab jal or any other jal made from flowers. This will give money to the indian flower growers rather than the chinese communists.

Can we do a yagna [ in sandhya kal]  ? Of course swargokamo yajet!

What one act play should be enacted? I suggest Abhijyan Shakuntalam, etc rather than sexually suggestive material which destroys deva and devis alike.

Namaste