"Bura na maano Holi hai !!"
Holi in India is all about colors with devotion, dance, loud music, bhang and some delicious sweets and snacks. This vibrant festival is associated with many myths, legends and deities. Each year the date changes for Holi, it can happen anytime between February and March. In India, different states with their diverse culture and traditions have different ways of observing this day. The way it is celebrated in North India is completely different from South India. On the other hand, the culturally rich West and East have own ways of celebration. The best places to celebrate Holi in India is totally depend upon your taste, starting from traditional temple rituals to modern parties with DJs, bhang, and plenty of colors. If you want a real feel of this colorful celebration, see which of these places attract to you the most.
Tour of North India during Holi
Don’t miss Mathura and Vrindavan for religious aura and spiritual charm
The Holi of temple towns Mathura and Vrindavan, is the most popular one. According to legend, the tradition of Holi started from the ‘leela of Radha and Krishna’. Mathura is the birth-place of Hindu deity Krishna and Vrindavan is the place where he spent his childhood. The celebration in Mathura starts in the week before holi. A colorful musical parade takes place from the temples to river and then to the Holi Gate, where the festival is marked. The best place to enjoy Holi in Mathura is at Dwarkadheesh Temple.
The rarest sight of ‘Lathmar holi’ in Barsena near Mathura
The Barsana Holi will certainly give you all the vibes of Mathura Holi for sure! Barsana near Mathura in Uttar Pradesh is famous for “Lath mar Holi”. The main celebration takes place at the Ladliji temple in front of deity Radharani. It is the weirdest sight of this two days old celebration where on the first day the men are beaten up with sticks by women! Men are allowed to protect themselves with shields. Legend has it that Barsana was the home of Radha where Krishna went to tease her and her friends. Taking offence at this, the women of Barsana chased him away. The second day women from Barsana go to Nandgaon to play Holi.
At a short distance from Mathura, Vrindavan is an embodiment of India’s festival of colour. Enjoy processions of dancing people coated with colors just like Mathura. On the ‘ekadashi’ before Holi, the city celebrates Phoolon wali Holi where flowers are thrown at the devotees by the temple priests. Another special celebration of Holi in Vrindavan is the Widow’s Holi. The age-old taboo of society which prevented widow’s from playing any color, by rejecting the tradition Vrindaban widow’s started to participate a few years back.
Special visit to Banke-Bihari temple in Vrindaban
The celebration of Banke-Bihari temple in Vrindavan is very famous. The temple hosts a week long Holi celebrations. The event here takes place only a day before the main Holi. The temple opens up its doors to all visitors to play Holi. The priests of the beautiful temple throw colors and marigold garlands on the visitors.
Travel Punjab to experience Holi in Sikh way
The Holi celebration in Punjab is totally different from the rest of the country. ”Hola Mohalla” is an annual fair started by Sikh Guru Gobind Singh to celebrate the festival all the way back to 1701. Holla Mohalla or warrior is a week long fair where there is showcase of physical strength through wrestling, martial arts, mock sword fights, acrobatic military exercises, and turban tying. The warriors also recite poems,followed by the usual colourful Holi celebration.
Visit East side of India
Spend your festive vacation on Shantiniketan and Purulia in West Bengal to see the graceful cultural side of holi
The celebration of Holi as “Basanta Utsav” in Shantiniketan was started by famous Bengali poet and Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore. It is a sight which one must witness in their lifetime. Inspired by spring and the colors of Holi, he introduced the occasion as an annual event in his Vishva Bharati University there. Students dress up in yellow color and present some wonderful folk dances and cultural programs followed by the festive of colors. The celebration starts a day earlier than Holi and become an integral part of Bengali culture. A large number of tourists arrive every year to witness and participate in these celebrations.
A three-day Basanta Utsav folk festival takes place in the Purulia district of West Bengal. The location is around five to six hours by train from Kolkata. Accommodation is provided in tents and there are portable toilets as well. This festival includes variety of folk art, the remarkable Chau dance, Darbari Jhumur, Natua dance, and songs of Bengal's famous Baul musicians. You will get to sing and play Holi with the locals. The hard work and money spend by the villagers to make it so beautiful is something that cannot be ignored. It is the only way locals to sustain themselves.
Trip to Northeast during Holi
Witness Manipur to get a glimpse of cultural North-East
The great Yaoshaong Festival of Manipur in Holi is a six day festival. It can be called as a spectacular cultural display with number of folk dancers and musicians performing amid lamps and bonfires are put ablaze while people play with color. The festival is dedicated to Manipur god ‘Pakhangba’. The festival begins after the sunset with the burning of hut tradition called ‘Yaosang Mei Thaba’ and is followed by children visiting every home to seek monetary donation called ‘nakatheng’. On the second day, performance of local bands is organised in temples. On the second and third day, a group of boys turned to girl’s to play Holi and in return girls seek monetary donation from friends and relatives making the festival more fun and exiciting. While the last two-days are celebrated with colors and water.
Visit South India to enjoy Holi
Take a look at Hampi, Karnataka to get a taste of South Indian Holi
As Holi is known as a north Indian festival, it's quite low-key at most places in the south. However, Hampi in Karnataka is a remarkable exception! The whole town turns out to play Holi amid drumming, dancing, and the evocative ruins of the grand Vijayanagar empire.
Tour of west india
Joyous Jaipur, Rajasthan for traditional Holi
The pink city Jaipur is also among the best places to celebrate Holi in India. It’s the enthusiasm of the people of Jaipur that makes it a fun to celebrate Holi in Rajasthani style. In Jaipur the oldest and the most worshipped Govind Devji Temple is that place, where the celebration of Holi starts a week before with different colored flowers, natural colors and sandalwood powder. You can see the different Jhakiyan of Lord Krishna in the temple each unique and different every day and also different dances showing the Raas Leela of Radha Krishna. On the final day, the priest in the temple sprinkle colors on the idol of Lord Krishna and Goddess Radha. After this ritual, the devotees play holi. The tourism of Rajasthan organises special event for visitors on a hotel called “Khasa Kothi”. This event comprises of Rajasthani folk dance and song performances, and also a festive lunch.
Spend your time in Udaipur, Rajasthan for an unforgettable regal Holi experience
Udaipur is famous for royal Holi not only in Rajasthan but all over the country. The Holi is celebrated for two days in Udaipur. On the eve of Holi people celebrate “holika dahan” which is also known as Mewar holika dahan. Mythologically, holika is believed as evil. The day before Holi a traditional sacred fire will be lit and an effigy of holika was burnt. This ritual is marked as a victory of good over evil. The bonfire takes place on the City Palace.There will be a magnificent palace procession from the Shambhu Niwas Palace to Manek Chowk royal residence. Many VIPs and dignatories were invited by the royal family to enjoy the ceremony. After the royal dinner the celebration ends with magnificent fireworks. The next day people enjoy Holi through powdered color,color filled water guns and ballons in the streets, temples and buildings. The Holi special bhang and variety of sweets are also enjoyed by the people.
Indeed there is no perfect time than Holi to travel to the country and get the taste of Incredible India. So this Holi, book a HOLI SPECIAL PACKAGE TOUR, come out from your comfort area and enjoy the different flavors of Holi!
