Mehul wrote a blog post

2017-03-06

minutes - words.

These Four Places In The World have a rocking Holi !

A different flair of Holi celebration at these places, a thing to experience

Cometh March 13th, this year, cometh Holi. With less than a month to go for the Festival of Colours, the excitement has started to dwell in. Holi, after all, is the only festival that is celebrated among religions, and just amongst Hindus. It does not discriminate people on the basis of caste, class, or background. People indulge in social gatherings, drink bhaang (sort of cannabis mixed in milk), and dance.

Note: Please do not play Holi with animals. It may kill them.

Holi is played in many parts of the world, including in countries that lie in Europe, Africa, and North America. Mentioned below is a compiled list of five of the best places in the world to celebrate our favorite festival:

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Lath mar Holi in Barsana

Barsana

Barsana, arguably the best place in the whole wide world to celebrate Holi, is located near Mathura, in Uttar Pradesh. Holi here is popular because of its uniqueness. People here celebrate Lath Mar Holi - Holi with sticks.

It is said that Lord Krishna used to visit Barsana to tease Radha and her friends. The women there did not like it, so they started chasing him away carrying sticks in their hands. Therefore, Holi is Barsana is celebrated with wooden sticks (but not with the same intention). Hence, the name - Lath Mar Holi The biggest celebrations in Barsana takes place at a temple dedicated to Radha Rani - Ladli Ji Temple.

Lath Mar Holi celebrations at Barsana lasts for two days. On day one, young men from Nandgaon, Lord Krishna's village, visit Barsana to tease the young women there. Those women, carrying a stick each, chase the men, and hit them. The men carry a shield to protect themselves from getting hit. On the second day, Barsana women visit Nandgaon to play Holi with the men there.

Option two - Mathura

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Holika Dahan in Udaipur

Hampi

Hampi is located in Karnataka. After the Hampi Utsav, Holi is the biggest festival in the South Indian state. Playing Holi in Hampi is a unique experience, as it brings together both Indians and foreigners in abundance. One of the most popular places in India amongst foreigners, Hampi had to make it to this list. Holi celebrations here is as crazy as it can get. People climb on boulders, smash eggs, and do stuffs that one would not do if one were sane. Like, for instance, swimming across the river to get to the other side with the current flowing hard, and no ferry at work.

Option two - Goa

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Children participating in the festivities at Santiniketan

Udaipur

Udaipur is located in Rajasthan. Since Rajasthan is predominantly a Hindu state with rich culture and tradition, Holi is celebrated in a grand manner across the state. Holi, here, like in its most traditional form, is celebrated over two days. The first day is reserved for Holika Dahan. The custodian of the Mewar family ignites the holy fire woods. On the second day, in the morning, celebrations begin. To play holy in the most royal fashion, the City of Palace is the place to be in. Horses, elephants, and camels are decorated lavishly. There is folk dance, elephant polo, and elephants tug-of-war. It is truly the grandest (and safest) here.

Option two - Jaipur

Shantiniketan

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Young people playing Holi by the banks of Tungabhadra river

Shantiniketan is located in West Bengal. What many people do not know is that Nobel Laureate, Rabindranath Tagore, loved the Festival of Colours. He liked the way people would keep their differences aside, and come together to celebrate this wonderful festival. He started to organize a two day Holi festival celebrations at his Vishva Bharati University, in Shantiniketan.

Since his death, the students of the university have been carrying out the tradition. They dress up in yellow clothings, and showcase cultural programmes and folk dance. Post the ceremony, people play Holi. The event is so grandeur and attractive, that even the capital city of the state - Calcutta - comes nowhere close to that kind of celebration.

Option two - Purulia

P.S. You may hate Monday, but on the day of Holi, this year, you will not, for this time, Holi is on a Monday.

Happy Holi!

Photo: mediaindia.eu, .takeatravel.in