Table of Contents
Every year, during every Spring Season, war is held in India. Yes! War, the war of colors, Holi.
I arrived in India during the week-long celebration with our Holi Tour Package that made our journey so cozy. Frankly saying, I was genuinely captivated by seeing the magnetize beauty of such a spellbound Festival.
Holi’ Festival of Colors’ is celebrated at the beginning of Spring Season all over India. Holi Festival is one of the most prominent Indian Festivals, which has some unique significance in ‘Indian Culture.’ It is a tradition that lies in the roots of Hinduism (religion born in India).
There is, of course, a very well known story behind this festival from Hindu Mythology. As every region of the country diversely celebrates this colorful festival. Whole India, during this time, adorned itself with exuberant neon paints.
How people celebrate HOLI?
It was merely an Insane experience of the best Holi Celebration in India. People chasing each other in the homes, streets, parks, even in temples, arms and pockets full of dry powered colors which were called “Gulal,” even splashing others from head to toe from the colors and colored water.
It was none less than insanity.
It seemed a fair game for everyone playing with each other, including mother, father, even with local folk in the streets. Some children, even men, are so deep into this festival that they carry water guns spiked with paints drenching others, along with pockets full of Balloons filled with color water for splattering at each other, and they find more thrill in throwing at strange passersby on the streets.
This exuberant festival manifests the victory of good over evil, a day to forget the ill deeds and forgive people and enjoy the day with remarkable enthusiasm. It is always more fun in drenching people who seem enemy to us, don’t to feel like?
Holi is celebrated on the very holy day of “Falgun Purnima,” depending on the Hindu calendar that welcomes the spring and the spiritless and pale winters. The celebration of this festival attracts millions of people from all over the world, and fortunately, I am one of them.
My experience during Holi in Braj
I already have had heard a lot about ‘Braj ki Holi,‘ but this time I visited such a vibrant place during Holi. It was looking like a dream come true. Braj is a small place around Mathura and Vrindavan, this holy land attracts many pilgrims from India and abroad. Also known as the hometown of Hindu Mythological legends Radha-Krishna. It is also believed that Lord Krishna and Radha (his beloved) spent their childhood in the Braj Region. Although Holi celebrations are held all over India, Braj Ki Holi has something unique and known all over the world.
Charismatic Story behind Holi
Nandgaon and Barsana are also Ideal places for the Holi celebration in India. After enjoying in Braj, I took a step towards Barsana, the Birthplace Radha. It becomes such a fantastic place during Holi.
It is assumed that Krishna from his birthplace Nandgaon visits Barsana for teasing girls, especially his nearest and dearest Radha Rani.
As godly naughty, Krishna always complains about his dark complexion, so one day he rushed to Radha with some colors and splashed her white skin with color powder dust. And this short fun frolic scene today is widely celebrated as Holi, the Festival of Colors.
The story is not yet completed. Yes! As this time, Radha and her friends came to chase naughty Krishna with sticks in their hands. In retaliation, Radha and her Friends took their bats to beat Krishna and his prankish friends at their backs, and since then, it has become a ritual of following the same custom.
As men from Nandgaon come to tease women of Barsana, and in return, women beat them with their sharp sticks, and men protect themselves with the decorated shields.
Time to retaliate for the tease
The very next day, I was asked to leave for Nandgaon, the nearest destination for the same Holi celebration. The air of the place seems so tricksy; there was a prankish welcoming of Radha’s land women. To retaliate men for the tease and splash colors over them.
Men were still enjoying and singing provoking songs, dancing with expanded color dipped chest. And the queerish women waiting with their sticks (lathis) to beat mischievous men of Nandgaon. This Holi is commonly called “LATHMAR HOLI”. The whole day was filled with passion and enthusiasm.
Devout visit to Vrindavan
It was time for some religious pursuits during Holi. Yes! It was the “Phoolon Wali Holi” in Vrindavan, the right destination for Pilgrims and devotees of Lord Krishan. We visited ‘Banke Bihari’ temple to celebrate particular types of Holi festival celebrations, which was dominated by Fresh Fragmented Flowers.
Priest of the temple known Goswami sprinkled the pious color of Lord Krishna on the devotees. The place was such a captivating, all devotees in white, danced on the spiritual music with the whole of their heart and love for Bihari Ji. The spirit of joy was on its full color.
Holy visit to Mathura
Here, the celebration of the Holi Festival of Colors starts a month ago and continues till the day of Holi arrives. So it was my good fortune that I got a chance to stay in India until the actual day of Holi.
It was a day just before Holi, we proceed to Mathura to participate in the procession having 10 vehicles decorated with beautiful flowers, and sweet little kids of the town were adorned in attires of Radha-Krishna, the moment got me mesmerized.
The victory of Good over Bad
After such a mind-blowing procession and delicious lunch, it was time to attend some traditional-cultural programs, this event simply bogged my mind, and I bet, you would also get astounded after reading this.
This traditional program was lead by the effigy of ‘Holika,’ Holika was a lady demon who got burnt while making some pious soul into the fire.
Since then, a day before Holi, the effigy of Holika is being burnt to signify Triumph of good over evil. And this pure procession is called “Holika Dahan.”
I’m pretty sure my insane experience of the best Holi Celebration in India would have lured your heart to visit such a splendid place during Holi. It was only a fantastic, captivating, mesmerizing Holi Celebration in India. Also, it was pleasant welcoming into India, the home of Unity in Diversity.
