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Holi is a colorful Hindu festival, celebrated enthusiastically by showering vibrant colors in the air, smearing gulal on each other faces, kids running around with pichkaris, and various delicacies served on plates. The festival is celebrated all over India in the most unique ways which makes it more joyous for the people and gives us a glimpse of the rich traditions behind its commemoration. Though the way of celebrating the festival is different all over the country but the spirit of playing Holi remains the same.
Different types of Holi Celebrations in India!!
1- Lathmar Holi, Barsana Village, Uttar Pradesh
Lathmar Holi is celebrated in Barsana where it is believed that Shri Krishna and his friends were beaten with wooden sticks (Lath) by Radha and her friends when they came to throw colors at them. To keep the same spirit alive, even today, the people of barsana smear themselves in the color of Lathmar Holi.
2- Phoolon ki Holi, Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh
It is believed that in Vrindavan, Shri Krishna plucked blossoming flowers and threw them at Radha to tease her and in return, Radha also did the same. Even today, to keep the doting affection between the almighty alive, the people of Vrindavan celebrate the festival of Holi with a variety of flowers even today.
3- Hola Mohalla, Punjab
Hola Mohalla, also known as Warrior Holi, is a unique Holi celebration held in Punjab one day after Holi. Nihang Sikhs celebrate the occasion by paying honor to the bravery of Sikh warriors by performing martial arts, stunts, and mock combat. The festival is followed by playing with colors in the evening, and huge Langar (food) is served at the Gurudwara all day.
4- Rangpanchami in Maharashtra
Rangpanchami, which is celebrated in Maharashtra, is another exquisite way of celebrating Holi. It is believed that Lord Krishna used to steal butter from the neighborhood with his notorious friends, and women would hide them in the highest chambers to keep them safe. Since then, the Krishna Leela tradition has been carried on in Mumbai and many other Maharashtra cities. Pandals are set up to break the pots to commemorate the ritual. The pots are hung at great heights, and large groups of boys form a pyramid, which women prevent from climbing up and reaching the top by spraying colors and water.
5- Majul Kuli in Kerala
Holi is celebrated in Kerala as Majul Kuli where people visit the Gosripuram Thiruma’s Konkani temple on the first day. While on the day of Holi, people celebrate the festival with water and turmeric, ditching the colors completely.
6- Phalgun Purnima in Bihar
In Bihar, Holi is celebrated as Phalgun Purnima to commemorate excellent harvests and the fertility of the land, as well as the mythical story of Prahlad conquering Holika. On the eve of Phalgun Purnima, people light bonfires of cow dung cakes, grains, and Holika tree wood. In addition to smearing colors, people in Bihar celebrate the festival by putting mud.
7- Dhulandi Holi in Harayana
In the state of Haryana, Dulhandi is a celebration of the tie between Bhabhi (Sister-in-Law) and Devar (Brother-in-law). On this auspicious day, Bhabhis have the advantage of dragging their Devars in mock rage. This connection of pulling pranks and annoying each other is payback for the jokes they perform.
India is the land of diversified culture and it is exciting to know the various forms in which the people of India celebrate festivals. The different types of Holi celebrations wrapped up here show the various dimensions in which it is celebrated. So, if you are planning to celebrate this holi uniquely and make it a blast, don’t forget to add these places to your bucket list today. 😉 Carrying the essence of playing holi in different forms, the brand Prabhu Shriram- India’s Best Agarbatti and Dhoop has come again with a unique collection of this colorful festival. Introducing the “Braj ki Holi” collection which has been inspired by the traditional ways of playing Holi in Barsana, Mathura, and Vrindavan, thus giving you a perfect feeling of Braj ki Holi. Each collection is a fragrant sanctuary with rich aromatic incense sticks (Kewra, Kesar, & Rose) complementing the refreshing flavor of thandai, organic gulal, and Chandan that lets you feel the same enthusiasm of playing Lathmar Holi in Barsana, Phoolon ki Holi in Vrindavan, and Rangon ki Holi in Mathura.
