Holi Special: Places to Celebrate The Festival of Colours in India

Holi also known as the festival of colours is celebrated across India marks the end of winters and beginning on spring.

Signifying the victory of good over evil, Holi is a two day festival. The first day is known as Holika Dahan and the second is Dhulandi.

For Holika Dahan, people light bonfires, gather around it and pray that their internal evil should be destroyed as the bonfire starts. The next day, people apply colours on each other and distribute sweets.

Here are a few places in India you can celebrate this carnival of colours:

1. Barsana, Uttar Pradesh

The Barasana village near Mathura celebrates Lathmar Holi a week before the main day of Holi. This year the Lathmar Holi will be celebrated on March 7 and 8. Barsana is believed to be Radha’s home where Krishna used to go to tease her and her friends. The women used to chased him away. Following this tradition, the men from Krishna’s village, Nandgaon travel to Barsana to tease women. The women chase the men and hit them with sticks. The men use shields to protect themselves. The second day the women go to Nandgaon to play Holu with men there.

2. Mathura, Uttar Pradesh

The birth place of Lord Krishna, Mathura is 183 km away from Delhi, the national capital. Mathura is one of an important places for Hindu devotees. In the Braj area the festivities last more than a week. Devotees take out colourful and musical procession. The best place to witness a colourful in Mathura is Dwarkadheesh Temple.

3. Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh

As Vrindavan is the place where Lord Krishna spent his childhood, it is 2nd most popular destination in the country to celebrate Holi. Vrindavan is 181 km away from the national capital. Banke-Bihari Temple in Vrindavan hosts a week-long Holi celebrations. The temple opens its doors to devotees to play Holi.

4. Shantiniketan, West Bengal

Started by famous Begali poet and Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, the Holi celebration is an annual event at his Vishva Bharati University. Students dress up in spring colours and organise cultural program for visitors. The Holi celebration or Vasanta Utsav attracts many foreign tourists.

5. Udaipur, Rajasthan

The Udaipur’s Mewar Royal family’s Holi celebration with the magnificent palace procession is an unforgettable experience. The procession was carried out from the royal residence to Manek Chowk, City Palace. One of the major festivals in Rajasthan, the celebrations stretch for two days. The Holika Dahan is observed at City Palace, Udaipur.