The festival of Holi in India is a rather riotous two-day celebration where crowds splash one another with color and water, and perhaps India’s most vibrant, fun festival. The festival witnesses friends, family, and even strangers come together to feast, laugh, and dance, and the arrival of the spring harvest season. Commonly associated with throwing colored powders or gulal and throwing water at one another, Holi truly comprises two parts- Holika Dahan and Rangwali Holi, which is also known as Dhulandi.
Although Rangwali Holi is the splendid color-throwing extravaganza- a day of simply having sheer fun- Holika Dahan is a Hindu-mythology-inspired event that happens on the eve of Holi when the moon is full. That night, dung cakes and wood are burned on large bonfires in a ritual that symbolizes the defeat of evil and the triumph of good.
Each and every individual is fair game during Holi- old and young, rich and poor, friend and foe, women and men, family and strangers. The night before this colorful festival, large piles of wood are set on fire, thereby symbolizing the burning of Holika. Thereafter, as the morning arrives, people of all ages put colored powder, and throw colored water, and water balloons at each other. Caraousers roam around their streets in groups commonly known as tolis, smearing whoever they come across on the way with colors. Special delicacies such as the iconic Gujiuas are prepared in all households. One traditional Holi preparation is a beverage known as Thandai. This delicious beverage is infused with bhaang. In cities like Mumbai and Delhi, people organize parties at huge farmhouses, resorts, and luxury hotels.
In Uttrakhand, Holi takes on an exquisite form as people gather at each other’s houses a few months in advance, dancing to the tunes of tabla and harmonium. You can also visit Goa to witness an all the more different face of Holi as the festival is celebrated in this region as Shigmotsav. During this time, Konkani Hindus from villages come out in their most colorful attire and flags and make merry in temple courtyards. The festival also marks the time of abstinence from meat and intoxicants. The festivities go on for nine days, cumulating with the parading of colorful tableaux.
Nevertheless, the most exclusive and famous Holi celebrations take place in the Braj region, comprising Vrindavan and Mathura. In the traditional Lathmar Holi of Barsana, local women chase men with sticks, thereby symbolizing an event that took place with Lord Krishna and his gopis. Yet another significant event is the Holi celebrated by the widows who have been marginalized in the religion, thereby becoming a symbol of women's empowerment in the modern age.
You will witness small bands of musicians roam around and play the dhol- a traditional drum of wood common in South Asia- while people chase each other in the streets, outside temples, and parks. The better part of the day is spent smearing colored powder on people’s faces, throwing colored water, and partying. Water guns, water sprinklers, and water balloons are all part of the fun while the intoxicating bhaang is immensely popular on this day.
In the evening, after sobering up, families and friends visit each other’s homes and share the classic delicacies of Holi such as fruit-filled sweet dumplings, also known as gujiya, thandai, kachoris, and other desserts and beverages.
The colorful celebrations of Holi draw on different Hindu mythologies and date back to the fourth century. Yes, you heard it right! Talks of it take place in ancient Sanskrit writings and poetry while the seventh-century play Ratnaval also discusses Holi at great length.
The term ‘Holi’ itself refers to Holika, a demon who, as per the Hindu Vedi scriptures, was burnt to death with the help of Lord Vishnu. According to the legends, Holika’s demon brother, King Hiranyakashyap, told his sister to burn his son Prahlad for worshipping Lord Vishnu instead of him. Since Holika was invulnerable to fire, she tricked Prahlad into getting onto a bonfire. When Prahlad stepped into the fire, he chanted Lord Vishnu’s name and came out of it unharmed. On the other hand, Holika was burnt to death as her invulnerability to fire would only work when she walked into the fire alone.
After this, Lord Vishnu killed the demon Hiranyakashyap and the following day, people smeared their faces with the ashes left after the fire was out. This symbolizes the conquering of evil by good. The smearing of one another’s faces with colored powder is believed to derive from this legend.
There are several excellent locations where you can celebrate Holi this year, such as
Barsana: It is a village in the state of Uttar Pradesh where the women are decidedly in-charge. They chase men around with sticks to re-enact Radha fending off the advances of the young Lord Krishna with the help of her friends.
Purulia: It is a rural district in West Bengal and is famous for its folk celebrations of the festival of Holi. Over a period of three days, dancers and musicians liven up the festival with folk performances such as chhau- a tribal dance that involves martial arts and acrobatics- along with songs performed by the wandering Baul musicians.
Udaipur: For a rather royal experience, you can always head to Udaipur, the historical capital of the kingdom of Mewar. There you will witness the magnificent palace processions with bedecked horses and performances by court musicians and dancers. Book the best of Golden Triangle Tour Packages that will take you to not just to Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur, but also to Mathura and Vrindavan.
Hampi: Another highly enthusiastic celebration of the Holi festival in India takes place in Hampi which is a former Hindu capital and now a beloved destination for tourists. With the reminiscent ruins of the erstwhile powerful Vijayanagar empire as a backdrop, the entire town gathers and dances to the beats of drums and douse one another in rivers of colors.
Read More: 10 Best Places To Celebrate Holi In India 2023
So, now that you know the best parts of the festival of colors, it is time you book your trip to one of these places and witness the true spirit of Holi this year. Exclusive India Journeys offers customized packages to tourists so they can relish in the true vibes of the festivities of Holi. So, book your unforgettable trip for a splendid Holi vacation.
