Holi is the one time of the year when you can put your shyness, insecurities, and prejudices aside and go all out on the fun aspect of life. The second you step out of your house, people take you for a blank canvas and throw vibrant shades of gulaal at you. Across India, people play Holi with great enthusiasm to celebrate the triumph of good over evil all over India. But there are some places that take the celebration to a whole new level. To those unfamiliar, it might seem straight-up amusing! One of those places is Barsana. Find out how Holi in Barsana is celebrated.
Holi In Barsana
Barsana is a town in Mathura that carries remnants of the love shared between Lord Krishna and Radha Rani. Being the birthplace of Radha, Holi holds great importance for the people there. Witnessing the Festival of Colors at Barsana will help you realize how little you know about the Hindu culture.
The preparations for Holi in Barsana start a few weeks before the actual day in full grandeur. From temple decoration to vendors selling colors on the street, you can feel the anticipation in the air. Why wouldn’t you? After all, there are two interesting ways things are about to go down; all of them quite colorful!
Laddu Holi
A day before the famous Lathmar Holi, the people of Barsana celebrate Laddu Holi. Hordes of devotees gather at Shri Radha Rani Temple or Ladli Temple. Instead of colors, everyone throws laddus at each other.
Every year, a ‘Panda’ – a representative is chosen from Barsana to go to Nandgaon and invite the men from Nandgaon for Lathmar Holi. The people of Radha’s hometown patiently wait for the arrival of the Panda. Upon returning, he’s greeted with laddus and gulaal. It’s said that the devotees get to play with Lord Krishna himself during Laddu Holi!
Also Read: Where To Try Holi Menus In Mumbai: Your Complete Guide To The Best Festive Restaurants
Lathmar Holi
‘Lath’ means ‘stick’ and ‘mar’ means ‘to hit’. No points for guessing what this Holi celebration entails!
As the story goes – every year during Holi, Lord Krishna went to visit Radha in her hometown from Nandgaon (his hometown). He had the reputation of being extremely friendly with all the Gopis. One such Holi, Lord Krishna applied color on Radha’s face for amusement and to retaliate, all the Gopis drove him out of town with bamboo sticks.
Keeping the story alive and the tradition going, men from Nandgaon come to Barsana with gulaal to throw at women. The women await their arrival with bamboo sticks and hit them playfully, reenacting the tale. Men needn’t be worried about getting whacked incessantly, however, as they’re provided leather shields.
The celebrations happen at Radharani Temple and it’s a riot of a time (mostly for women). For all the ladies reading this, you can take your unsuspecting men to celebrate Holi in Barsana!
Also Read: From Rolls Royce Holi To Lathmar Holi: 7 Unique Holi Celebrations In India
Summing Up
Make your Holi a little different at Barsana and lose yourself in the colorful celebrations. You’ll see everybody come together and immerse themselves in the festival. So, visit Mathura this Holi and experience all the joy that awaits you.
