Vibrant hues of gulaal thrown in the air, Rang Barse playing in the background, and nutty and milky thandai being prepared in great quantity – Holi does know how to lift your spirits. It’s a day that signifies the triumph of good over evil as it celebrates the victory of Lord Vishnu’s avatar, Narasimha, over Hiranyakashipu. Just like there are multiple reasons behind celebrating Holi, in a vast country like India, there are also multiple ways people celebrate the festival of colors. So, find out how Holi is celebrated across India. Perhaps you’d want to be part of the celebration that you think is the most fun.
8 Interesting Ways Holi Is Celebrated In India
- Lathmar Holi – Barsana, Uttar Pradesh
- Phoolon Ki Holi – Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh
- Shigmo – Goa
- Hola Mohalla – Anandpur Sahib, Punjab
- Rang Panchami – Maharashtra
- Basant Utsav – West Bengal
- Phalgun Purnima – Bihar
- Yaoshang – Manipur
1. Lathmar Holi – Barsana, Uttar Pradesh
Let’s start our celebrations from the hometown of Lord Krishna’s beloved, Radha. According to the lore, Krishna would travel from Nandgaon to Barsana every year during Holi. Keeping up his mischievous image, one Holi, Krishna applied some color on Radha’s face to instigate her. In retaliation for his action, all the Gopis drove him out of town with bamboo sticks.
Fast forward to today, the people of Barsana keep the story alive and reenact the entire scene every Holi. Ladies, if you’re looking to beat up men and get away with it, this is the one day your wishes can come true. Men from Nandgaon come to visit the women in Barsana who are already waiting in anticipation of their arrival with bamboo sticks. Once they arrive, the men are playfully hit with those sticks. Not to worry because the men aren’t completely defenceless. The men have a leather shield to protect them and try to dodge the bashing.
Even if you don’t participate, witnessing it happen is just as entertaining, cathartic even.
2. Phoolon Ki Holi – Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh
Keeping the divine love between Lord Krishna and his devotees alive, Vrindavan has its special way of celebrating Holi. A few days before Holi, on Ekadashi, thousands of devotees gather at the Bankey Bihari Mandir.
Conventionally, the gulaal for Holi was made out of flowers and herbs of the ‘Palash’ tree. During summer, the leaves of this tree turn into a natural, bright dye. At the temple, the idols of Lord Krishna and Radha Rani are adorned with garlands of fresh and bright flowers. At 4:00 pm, the festivities commence and you should brace yourself for the softer version of Holi! There’s no use of synthetic dry or wet colors, only flowers! Especially rose, lotus, and marigold petals. Phoolon Ki Holi is a short event that lasts about 15-30 minutes. But, even in such a short time, you’ll have the time of your life.
3. Shigmo – Goa
Goans do love their celebrations and we love them for it! Shigmo is their way of commemorating Holi and it lasts for 14 whole days. The first day is called Naman and it starts with the Goan Hindus vowing to not consume any alcohol or non-vegetarian food from the ninth moon till the fifth moon.
From the eleventh moon till the fifteenth moon, all villagers gather in colorful attires and play the drums and blow sweet tones on the flute, making the entire atmosphere full of festival vibes. The temples of the village have red spotted flags known as Dhwaja set up. Locals gather around these temples to sing folk songs and perform the traditional dances. Starting from the afternoon, the celebration does not stop until the moon is shining brightly at the very top.
All in all, witnessing the cultural performances with the musical tunes playing continuously is fun you won’t regret being a part of.
4. Hola Mohalla – Anandpur Sahib, Punjab
Travel to the north and experience a very masculine Holi, no wait, we meant Hola! Before jumping into how it’s celebrated, let’s get to know what it means. ‘Hola’ is derived from the word ‘Halla’ which means a military charge. And ‘Mohalla’ means a military section. As you’ve probably already guessed, Hola Mohalla is a three-day celebration to celebrate valor and bravery.
This festival was started by Guru Gobind Singh who was in search of an army that was not only skillful during battle but also self-disciplined. To celebrate and witness this warrior spirit, lots of people gather at Anandpur Sahib. It starts with a procession led by Panj Pyare (five beloved ones) who also perform Gatkas, a Sikh martial art form. You’ll get to watch reenacted battles with men balancing on two horses at once!
Hola Mohalla is the complete opposite of a traditional Holi, but getting to see brotherhood and bravery on display will surely evoke something in you.
5. Rang Panchami – Maharashtra
Rang Panchami is the D-day of the Holi festival. The very last day, the day when the limit on enjoyment is endless. Just a day before Rang Panchami, the people of Maharashtra usually celebrate Holika Dahan – a humongous bonfire where corn and puffed rice are thrown and everyone goes around that fire seven times. Apart from the mythology and tradition, this fire is said to keep all illnesses away and get you used to the upcoming summer.
The morning of the next day is Holi as most of us know it. Armed with gulaal and dressed in old white clothes, everyone smears colors on each other. No festival is complete without food, so you can indulge in puran polis and thandai!
6. Basant Utsav – West Bengal
To experience a mellowed-down version of Holi, you can visit West Bengal. The celebrations take place in Shantiniketan, the home of Rabindranath Tagore. He believed that education is an experience that connects everyone to their roots. He also observed that Basant Utsav was a great way for people to come together to commemorate the beauty of life. To keep his beliefs going, every year people gather at Shantiniketan and enjoy a watered-down Holi.
Women dress up in yellow and the entire town celebrates by reciting Tagore’s poems and songs and dancing to them. The day after the cultural program, a procession dedicated to Lord Krishna takes place where people smear color on the faces of their neighbors and other townsfolk.
7. Phalgun Purnima – Bihar
For the people of Bihar, Holi is related to the harvest season and is celebrated at the end of Phalgun. They call it Phagu Purnima, where ‘Phagu’ is the sacred red powder and ‘Purnima’ means the full moon. During Holika Dahan, or Chhoti Holi, cow dung is one of the many things they throw on the bonfire. They also call it the ‘Samvatsar Dahan’ and consider the next day to be the beginning of a New Year.
During Badi Holi, don’t be surprised if you get a faceful of mud. Everyone must dress in white to show off the colors thrown at them. There’s also festivities like dancing to bhojpuri folk songs and playing the Dholak.
You’ll also find traditional food such as Malpua, Dahi vada, poori, and dehati mutton being prepared. All of it is delicious!
8. Yaoshang, Manipur
Close to the heart of the Meitei community, Yaoshang is a festival that goes on for five full days. Starting from the month of Lamda (February-March), this Manipuri version of Holi is not limited to just the colorful hues.
The burning of Yaoshang – a small straw hut – marks the beginning of this festival. All the children visit the area for blessings of a successful and healthy life and receive small donations in the form of money from the households there. The kids use the money to buy candies for themselves – no surprises there!
Thabal Chongba is going to catch your eye and put you in a mesmerizing trance. It’s a traditional dance where girls and boys hold hands and sing and dance in a circle. To translate the word, Thabal Chongba means ‘moonlight dance’.
Along with the festivities, the communities organize sports activities to promote a healthy life and steer the kids away from intoxicants.
Summing Up
All of this goes on to show how different cultures have taken the same festival and molded it into something that’s native to their culture. Most people only talk about the typical Holi with colors flying everywhere. But, if you explore the country, you’ll find many interesting ways in which Holi is celebrated across India.
FAQs
How Many Types Of Holi Are There In India?
There are many types of Holi in India, but the prominent ones are: Basant Utsav in West Bengal, Hola Mohalla in Punjab, Phalgun Purnima in Bihar, Kaman Pandigai in Tamil Nadu, Manjul Kuli in Kerala, and Yaoshang in Manipur.
What Is Holi Called In Different States?
Holi also goes by the name Rangwali Holi, Dol Purnima, Dhuleti, Dhulandi, and Ukuli in different parts of India.
How Many Types Of Holi Are Played In Mathura?
In Mathura, people usually play Lathmar Holi and Phoolon Wali Holi. Raas Leela is also performed for Lord Krishna and Radha Rani.
Where Does India’s Most Famous Holi Take Place?
Mathura and Vrindavan are where people from all over go to witness the grand celebrations of Holi.
What Is Holi Called In Rajasthan?
Rajasthani also refer to Holi as Dhulandi festival.
Did Krishna Play Holi?
He did. Lord Krishna is known to have popularized Holi by playfully smearing colors and playing pranks on the Gopis.
