HOLI !!

Holi - Festival of Love, Holi - Festival of unity, Holi - Festival of triumph, Holi - Festival of utmost joy, Holi- Festival for celebrating new life, colorful flowers n cheer.

Holi curtains down the winter and celebrates the season of colors - Spring "Vasant" as we call it in India.

In most of the regions, Holi is celebrated just for two days. But when we say Holi Celebration in India is unique, we Indians meant the HOLI FESTIVAL at VRINDAVAN. It is a lifetime experience, one who has not seen and played Holi of Mathura and Vrindavan, have missed the whole zeal behind. Here in Mathura and Vrindavan, Holi is celebrated for 40 Days. Yes, you read it correctly for 40 days, But the main utsav is celebrated for 6 days. In these 6 days celebration, Holi is played with Gulal, Natural colours made by flowers and kesar, Flowers, Wooden Staff and what not.

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Holi at Barsana, Near Vrindavan

The famous Holi of lath (thick wooden staff) where ladies of Barsana (a place near Vrindavan) where Radha - beloved of Krishna used to live. Krishna goes there to tease her on Holi, Radha and other gopis (cowherd girls and friends of radha) who were offended by his advances, hurl laths on him to drove him out of Barsana. As such, Nandagonian men visit Barsana every year and are greeted by women hurling sticks (aka lathi) at them. The men try to protect themselves but those who fail are captured by these women who then dress them in female apparel and make them dance in public.

Holi at Banke Bihari Temple, Vrindavan

Holi of Bihari ji is famous far and wide. Everytime I visit Banke Bihari ji I feel the love of Krishna - The God of Love and Eternity. He is adorable. And when we say Holi at Banke Bihari ji, you will certainly feel it pouring from all directions. Holi and it's playfulness was introduced by Lord Krishna and equally divine Goddess Radha and hence by then in Vrindavan Holi starts from Basant Panchmi - after all it is a blooming season. During the festivities, Bihariji (Krishna’s popular name in Braj area) is dressed up in white clothes, the priests here who are serving beloved Lord Krishna are known as Goswamis, sprinkle Gulal (Dried Natural Colours), water colours and keep on showering. Without glasses or Goggles, you won't be able to open your eyes in the premises of the temple, there is Gulal and Gulal everywhere. On this day before Holi, there are special celebrations at the famous Banke Bihari Temple at Vrindavan in the afternoon after the Temple gate opens at about 4 pm. Holi is celebrated not with colour, but with flowers. That is why it is called “Phoolonwaliholi” meaning Holi with flowers. The crowd chants madly in unison. It’s an unbelievable experience, Just feel the energy and atmosphere as you play Holi with Lord Krishna on this day! The temple opens at 9 AM and the festivities go on till 1.30 PM and resume at 4 PM. Get drenched in colours, go with the flow and enjoy the energy and lovely atmosphere. 

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Holi at Dwarkadhish Temple, Mathura

The temple opens at 10 am and a huge crowd waits outside the gates by then playing Holi and throwing color on anyone who comes there. The atmosphere inside the temple is actually divine. Priests play Dhols and everyone there is singing and dancing. You can also join and enjoy the celebration by being a part of it.

Holi at GOA

Holi in GOA is literally a thing! Yes, Goa; a land where every festival celebrated has its own striking appeal. The land which in itself is so colorful that you perhaps cannot imagine the spectacles and its aura of a colorful festival like Holi been amalgamated in its colorful processions, the most stunning feasts, loudest of music and dance and without forgetting – it’s vibrant culture. The wonderful sun-kissed golden beaches with lines of swaying palms and mystical blue strands of ocean running in tandem with the warm sands provide a perfect atmosphere for a festival celebration like Holi in Goa. Prominent and best Holi celebrations in Goa are the celebrations at – Panaji, Vasco Da Gama, Margao, and Mapusa. 

Holi at Ahmedabad, Gujarat

Holi! at Ahmedabad is unique too. Again inspired from Krishna's childhood act of Stealing Makhan (White Butter) from high hanged Haandi (Earthen Pot) from neighbourhoods. Similarly a pot of buttermilk is hung high over the streets and young boys try to reach it and break it by making human pyramids. The girls try to stop them by throwing coloured water on them to commemorate the pranks of Krishna and the cowherd boys to steal butter and "gopis" while trying to stop the girls. The boy who finally manages to break the pot is crowned the Holi King. Afterwards, the men, who are now very colourful, go out in a large procession to "alert" people of Krishna's possible appearance to steal butter from their homes.

Let's celebrate the arrival of spring, the end of winter, the blossoming of love, play and laugh, forget and forgive, and repair broken relationships.