When is Holi Celebrated?

The festival marks the end of winter and beginning of spring. The day after the full moon in March each year. In West Bengal and Odisha, the festival falls on a day before. In some of the northern regions such as Mathura and Vrindavan, the festival is celebrated for a week long.

How is it celebrated?

At most of the places, people spend the day spreading colored powder and colored water on each other’s faces, having parties, having to get together, and dancing under water sprinklers. Many people consume drinks made from Bhang (AKA cannabis). In places, Mathura, Vrindavan, and surrounding areas, people celebrate the festival for over five days, during which along with throwing colors, ladies beat men with a stick. This is the festival full of fun, energy, and enthusiasm.

 Rituals of Holi

There is a story behind Holi. The word “Holi” has come from from “Holika”, the evil sister of demon king Hiranyakaship. Hiranyakaship was virtually immortal. Due to this power, he becomes arrogant and began to consider himself as god and asked everyone to worship him. However, Prahlada – Son of Hiranyakaship disagreed. He was the devotee to Lord Vishnu and continued to worship him only. So, in order to kill Prahlada, Holika – Prahlada’s evil aunt – tricked him into sitting on fire with her. As the fire roared, the cloak worn by Holika flew away from her and encased Prahlada. Eventually, Holika was burned, Prahlada survived. Therefore, the bonfire is the symbolic victory of good over evil. Holi is celebrated by burning of demoness Holika. On the eve of Holi day, a ritual named Holika Dahan, in which bon fire is created to burn away Holika and this process is believed to burn away all the negativity around. Along with this, a special puja is performed, people sing and dance around the fire, and walk around it three times.

In different parts of the country, this beautiful festival of colors is celebrated in different manners, however, the spirit remains the same. Holi is a very light-hearted festival that’s great fun to join. You’ll end up soaked in water, with colour all over your skin and clothes. Now-a-days, people use organic colours to play around during the festival. The whole idea is to have fun and saturate people with colours and love.

It’s a unique festival, which burns away the negativity and brings people closer. During this vibrant festival of colours, people forget about their grudges and pour their love in the form of colours. There is much more to the festival when is experienced.

Come, celebrate this vibrant festival of India. If you want to explore the amazing places where Holi is celebrated in a unique manner Destino’s India with being your partner to help you discover the Liveliness of this festival.

1. Marvel at ancient martial arts
A sikh warrior heritage offers a rare glimpse of the HolaMohalla, the annual carnival in Punjab, four hours from the golden temple.  The boys and men are in traditional costumes and colorful turbans on a display of mock battles, sword fights, acrobatics and military antics.

Dating back, this visual feast sums up the spirit of Punjab such that it is supplemented by the hospitality of people. You can expect elaborate and delicious meals in the langar and the poetry is sure to transport you to the yore days.

2. Beat men with sticks and throw
Celebrations in the Lord Krishna birth state start ten days before the festivities. There are homemade sweets and women gather in colorful traditional sarees, throw sweets singing the Hindu mythology s folk tunes.

The revelries following women include taking sticks to the streets as Lathmar Holi and this includes the makeshift shields to beat men. This is a playful music and dance procession through the neighboring villages. On Holi day, the festival culminates at the Banke Bihari temple in the famous Vrindavan, in an extravaganza of colors.

3. Revel in the mighty Himalayas the folk music
In the lower Himalayas, there is the Kumaon region and in the Almora ancient town it offers peaceful and Holi experience to celebrate the spring arrival after a frost winter and allow rejoicing the folk traditions.

The festivities are celebrated month long and it begins with a reenactment of the royal era the musical gatherings, while the tales of Lord Krishna life are sung to the classical instruments tune. This reveals the ethnic Kumaoni music in Mahila Holi and Holi. This is a pompous affair culminating with people befitting each other. 

4. Dance under full moon
People craving to go to the off beaten path love the Manipur North eastern state presenting a combination of Yaoshang, the traditional harvest festival with the Holi colorful celebrations. The festivities start with the full moon appearing on the nights in the sky leading to Holi with old generation retelling the native tunes through song and folk legends to modern instruments, and the neighborhood sporting events are competing the younger generation.

On the Holi Day, very small thatched huts are burnt in bonfires, while the colours are thrown and as street procession devotional songs are sung in the local temples. This is an intimate affair marking the colorful spring of the beginning.

5. Imphal, Manipur
You may travel back to India in the royal era in the state of Rajasthan such that the Mewar clan descendants still keep with the tradition of the family with ostentatious procession through Udaipur the cobblestoned old streets.

Discover India, during this vibrant festival of colors.
Happy Holi