From flowers, sticks to colours, Holi celebration across India is nothing less than a splash of joy!
Alexa cue Rang Barsee….holi hai
A different day when everyone in the family is wide awake and excited early morning, when house is bustling with an inherent joy of splashing colours, when people are busy oiling themselvesso that colour does not stick and the table presented with different pakwaan (delicacies) is what an ideal holi scene in an d Indian household usually looks like. A festival of colours, Holi is one of the most widely celebrated festibal in India. From flowers, sticks to colours, holi is celebrated in unique fashion in different places.
There are different ways, traditions, stories and food associated with it. This year, Holi is on March 8.
Holi Celebrations In India
Lathmar Holi, Barsana -Nandgaon
Lathmar Holi is one of the most sought-after celebrations of Holi in India. Barsana, an hour’s drive from Mathura, is said to be Radha’s hometown, and it is believed that she and the other gopis playfully fought off Krishna and his friends when they visited from Nandgaon to play Holi. Today, in a recreation, the men must shield themselves from the playful beatings of women with lathis or sticks.
Phool wali Holi, Vrindavan
Celebrated on the Ekadashi in the Holi week, Phoolon ki Holi is played with petals of fresh flowers in Banke Bihari temple, Vrindavn with great fervor by the Krishna disciples.At around 4pm, the temple priests shower devotees with flowers for about half an hour, earning the name Phoolonwali Holi. Gopinath Temple, around noon, witnesses the recent custom called Widows’ Holi, where widows have their own celebration of the festival of colour. Across the city, powdered colours and bhajans take over the day.
Yosaong, Manipur
Holi in Manipur coincides with the indigenous Yaosang Festival. The festivities last for over five days, including folk dances, performing musicians, bonfires, sporting events and of course, playing with colour.
Basant Utsav, Shantiniketan
Shantiniketan celebrates Holi as Basant Utsav, also called the spring festival, which was introduced by Rabindranath Tagore. The entire university of Shantiniketan comes together to celebrate and fight with colours, especially featuring yellow. Most people wear yellow outfits, adding specks of brightness to the festival. The students also organise a cultural programme.
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Hola Mohalla, Amritsar
The spring festivities in Anandpur Sahib include Hola Mohalla, a tradition under the guidance of the tenth guru, Guru Gobind Singh, in which Nihang Sikhs display their valour and courage through martial arts. Think wrestling, sword fighting, incredible horse-riding feats.
