10 Best Places Holi Celebrations India is an ancient and popular religious Hindu festival that is celebrated all over India. It is a spring festival, also known as the Color Festival. Holi ‘s colorful festival is held on Phalgun Purnima which takes place around March month. It is India’s second most widely celebrated festival after Diwali.
Holi festival has an ancient history and celebrates good over evil victory. There are a few mythological myths behind the festival ‘s origins. The festival honors the killing of Holika, Hrinyakashyapu ‘s sister according to one theory. Holi festival is also commonly associated with the love of Krishna and Radha as immortals. The festival also takes on sense Regarding the conclusion of winter season and the beginning of summer season.
Here are India’s best places to watch or perform the popular Holi festival.
Mathura, Uttar Pradesh
They both have a deep relation to Lord Krishna. One is his place of birth, while another is the land where he spent his childhood. On the eve of Holi, Mathura and Vrindavan witness beautiful celebrations and transforms into the most spectacular places in India to celebrate Holi. Lord Krishna’s very popular Raas-Leela is live at these locations. There are many temples and localities in Mathura and Vrindavan where color throwing starts around a week before Holi‘s actual date.
Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh
The Holi celebrations of Vrindavan‘s Banke Bihari Temple is one of its kind. The city echoes Radha-Krishna ‘s stories, and celebrates the festival with rituals, devotion and serenity. The town’s extremely popular Banke Bihari temple hosts a week-long Holi celebrations attended by visitors from around the globe.
The temple’s Holi customs are peculiar in that there is no play of traditional dry or wet colors, but flowers, and hence the term Phoolon wali holi (Flowers’ Holi). The temple priests lavish the pilgrims with flowers in a way that showered the Lord’s blessings. Arrive to get a close up spot just before the gate opens.
Barsana, Uttar Pradesh
Barsana is famous for Lath mar Holi, in Uttar Pradesh. Barsana was Radha ‘s home where he went to taunt her and her friends. Taking offence at this, he was chased away by Barsana ‘s daughters. The key Barsana festivities take place at the temple of Ladliji, dedicated to Sri Radha Rani.
The two-day Lath mar Holi celebrations are a rare experience. On the first day men from the village of Krishna, Nandgaon travels to Barsana to taunt the women there. The women chase men with sticks and hit them, hence the name Lathmar Holi. Men are permitted to take shields to defend themselves. The Barsana ‘s second-day women go to Nandgaon to play Holi with Nandgaon ‘s men.
Delhi : bollywood Holi
This is a traditional Holi with “dilliwali.” Holi In Delhi is an open affair, always friendly and ready to enjoy and greet an enthusiastic crowd in the streets. And the shopkeepers who sell the dry colors come out into the streets and enjoy the Holi. If you want to celebrate Holi, grab tickets for the Holi Moo Festival in Bollywood style. This is a well organized, vibrant festival, Bollywood, and electronic music, has over 40 performers from India and abroad.
Shantiniketan, West Bengal
Shantiniketan also witnesses the most exclusive type of Holi which exhibits the rich cultural heritage of India’s West Bengal state. Holi festivities continue here as Basanta Utsav. Students get beautifully attired in spring colors and plan a wonderful cultural programme. This is also inferred by throwing natural colours. This celebration happens a day before to the scheduled date of Holi at other places. With the vibrant colors and a joyful aura, Shantiniketan ensures the best Holi celebration in India.
Anandpur Sahib, Punjab
In Anandpur Sahib, Punjab, Sikhs celebrate Holi (called the Hola Mohalla) in their own theme. Hola Mohalla is a yearly fair held a day after Holi’s Hindu festival. It was first organized in celebration of Holi by Sikh Guru Gobind Singh. Apparently the word Hola is feminine Holi’s masculine name. The colorful Holi festival is full of sprinkling colours, Hola Mohalla takes the form of showing martial abilities in simulated fights. On this grand festival for three days, mock fights, demonstrations, weapons show, etc. are held followed by competitions for kirtan, music, and poetry. Participants perform bold feats like Gatka (mock encounters with real weapons), tents, bareback riding, standing upright on two speeding horses and various other feats of bravery.
Hampi, Karnataka
The places and towns mentioned above were all from the northern part of India. Holi is celebrated splendidly in India including the southern part of India. Hampi in Karnataka is one of the best places in India to visit during Holi. Hampi faithfully and profoundly observes the Festival of Colors. There are numerous activities and exciting happenings Carried out on the grounds of the ancient Hampi temples. Any enthusiastic traveler may also take part in various cultural events. People drink each other with color powder by the end of the party.
Specific events and activities will be coordinated and you need to take a look at dates.
Purulia, West Bengal
They celebrate Basanta Utsav festival for three days with all the folk arts at Purulia just before two days to the festival of colours. The locals are celebrating this color festival, Holi with Darbari Jhumur, Chau dance, Baul music, Natua dance and other celebrations. The local villagers remain in tiny tents to enjoy the festivities on the celebration grounds.
Jaipur, Rajasthan
An elephant festival is organized on the eve of Holi which makes the city a unique place to celebrate Holi in India. Holi festivities in Jaipur include elephant parades, elephant beauty contests, various folk dances and many other festivities. Both the locals and foreigners are equally interested in Holi in Jaipur.
Mumbai, Maharashtra
Holi is celebrated by the name of Rangpanchami or Shimga in a grand way at Maharashtra. The war for color here starts on the fifth day. People enjoy Puranpoli too, Maharasthra ‘s popular mouthwatering delicacy. In fisher folk this festival is generally popular. Parts of this festival include music, singing and merry-making.