Holi is a festival that has probably mellowed down in tone and intensity over the last few years in metros and tier-1 cities. But the festival, with its emphasis on colours, food and fun, still has its own share of admirers and continues to spread a lot of cheer around. In India, it is a festival that is predominantly celebrated in the north. If you really want to have the time of your life celebrating the festival of colours, here are three places you should travel to.
Mathura and Vrindavan
If you really are the kinds who loves a mix of tradition with a certain ‘wildness’, then these are the places to be. Mathura is the birthplace of Lord Krishna and Holi is celebrated with much revelry and certain wildness. With sticks, shields, colours and canons of water, Holi celebration here is a must-have experience. The entire city is full of holi huddang. However, for ‘the original Mathura Holi’ you must land up in Barsana and then visit Nandgaon, Braj and then Vrindavan. Spend a day in Barsana and get a feel of the platonic flirtations of Radha Krishna. Folks from Nandgaon come with colors to Barsana and paint the women here. The women too, reciprocate, and try to defend themselves by playfully beating these folks. Visit Nandgaon the next day as women here visit Barsana with colours. Vrindavan and Braj host Holi in the temple premises where the priests shower blessed holy water (of course coloured) on the revellers.
Rajasthan
Rajasthan Holi
The festival of Holi is celebrated in the north pretty much in a similar manner. But in Rajasthan one day before the festival, people gather together and ignite huge bonfires for burning the residue of dry leaves and winter twigs. After this ritual, people throw gulal, kumkum and water on each other. On this cheerful occasion royals of Rajasthan show their festival spirit and mingle with their commoners. Above all, royal courts of North India have transformed this special festival in an art. Warriors of Rajputs present their skills on the auspicious occasion of Holi. According to a ritual in Rajasthan, the Rajput men ride on their steeds across red and white colour and throw gulal powder on each other.
A special community named ‘mali’ (gardener) has unique style of playing holi. In this style the many throw colour on women and in return women retaliate them by hitting with a long piece of cloth or stick. Men from 12 villages assemble at Godaj village situated near Ajmer, Rajasthan for playing Gair, some days after Holi. Here every village brings his own Gair troupes and drummer. They represent their village by showing their unique drum representation and the best one is awarded. For taking part in this competition type of occasion, drummers from 12 villages start preparing from few months before Holi. Although it is a competition but people had great fun here. Members of Vyas and Harsh communities in Bikaner celebrate Holi by throwing water on each other. For this purpose, they make the use of a special type of vessel named as dolchi, made from camel skin. It is believed that the communities have been following the ritual for 300 years.
Shantiniketan, West Bengal
For a drastically different experience, you should just head to Shantiniketan in West Bengal. Rabindranath Tagore was the founder of the Vishwabharati University in Shantiniketan, a serene and tranquil town in the Birbhum district of West Bengal. Holi is referred to as Basant utsav in Shantiniketan. It was the poetic mind of Nobel-laureate Rabindranath Tagore, who introduced this lovely occasion in very special way.
Women in traditional get up – yellow sari, palash phool and all smiles all come under one roof cultural mix of dance and song in the campus. The sight of all these youngsters adorned in such bright coloured dresses is indeed beautiful. There are beautiful cultural programmes. The Baul singers enthral you with baul gaan (songs traditionally sung by a group of mystic minstrels from Bengal), which happens to be a major attraction here. Later in the day, the students as well as the teachers apply colours, popularly referred to as abeer on each other.
