Holi, a festival of colours and known as vibrant festival in India. Holi is a joyful festival and people of all ages, gender, caste, and communities celebrate together with gulal, water balloons, and guns called Pichkari. The dishes, especially Gujia, matthi, and bhang ke pakore are famous foods in festival.
India is famous for its tradition and culture; Holi celebrates in every corner of the country in different manner. In this blog, will take you to the Top 10 best places to celebrate holi in 2024.
Mathura
Mathura, birthplace of Lord Krishna is famous for its vibrant and joyful holi. The celebration starts weeks before the holi and the streets and ghats look colourful. In Krishna’s nagri, children dress up like Radha Krishna and play with gulal. The famous Dwarkadhish Temple is decorated beautifully, and the festival charm can be seen through the flowers, chants, gulal, music and butter (makhan). The holi celebration in Mathura’s Dwarkadhish Temple starts after holika dahan. Mathura is one of the best places to celebrate holi in Krishna’s style.
Vrindavan
Vrindavan is famous for ‘Pholon Wali Holi’, a unique concept of playing holi with flowers rather than gulal. In Vrindavan holi starts prior one month which makes Vrindavan the best place to celebrate holi. The most important and famous place where the celebration took place is the temple of Banke Bihari. The priest of Banke Bihari Temple pours flowers and colours to the devotees. In various temples in Vrindavan, devotees can witness the Raas Leela.
Barsana
Barsana, the birthplace of Radha Rani is famous for ‘Lathmaar Holi’. In Lathmaar Holi, women’s from Barsana and Nandgaon dressed in traditional clothes and carryC sticks to beat men’s. Whereas men tried to protect themselves from the sticks carried by women. This is the traditional method of playing holi in Barsana, thus the place is famous to celebrate holi in India. The traditional and devotional song of Radha Krishna were sung.
Udaipur
Holi celebration in Udaipur gives royal experience and the procession is performed by the royal family. In the courtyard of haveli, Maharaja lights the bonfire which is famously known as Mewar Holika Dahan. After holika dahan, the colourful procession of holi takes place by the people of Udaipur from the royal haveli to Manek Chowk royal residence. The royal families use elephants, horses and camels to roam around the city. The traditional folk song and ghoomar dance were performed, and this royalty makes Udaipur, a best place to celebrate holi in India.
Jaipur
Jaipur which is known as ‘Pink City’ turns into vibrant colours and the city looks like rainbow. In royal city, Jaipur, the royal family conducts various activities, celebration and charities for the poor people. People make ‘Gulaal Gotas’, or ‘Water Cannon Bowls’ to celebrate holi. Holi in Jaipur offers traditional song, folk dances and blessings of Govind Ji temple. Rajasthan’s Jaipur is among the best places to celebrate Holi in India.
Hampi
Holi is majorly celebrated in North, West and Central India, going down to South India the charm of holi is pretty much less. Hampi is one of the towns in South India which celebrates Holi in exceptional way. The temples are decorated with flowers, holika dahan was celebrated and afterwards, people play with gulals, with some traditional dance. In south, Hampi is the popular place to celebrate Holi in India.
Pushkar
You must have heard that Pushkar is famous for Brahma Ji Temple, but do you know, Pushkar celebrates the best holi in India? Holika Dahan celebrates with fervour and afterwards, holi celebration starts. The temples and ghats decorate, colours exchanged at the ghats. The Rajasthani dance and music played all over the town, with Rajasthani cuisines like ‘Gujia”, “Daal Baati Churma”, ‘Gatte Ki Sabji” and many other sweets options.
Agra
Agra, a city of love situated in the bank of Yamuna River offers one of the best holi in India. Locals and tourists play holi with fervour and vigour. The celebration with bright colours and mouth watering dishes of Uttar Pradesh. Holi in agra is incomplete without having the glasses of bhag or thandai, and tasty gujia.
Shantiniketan
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In West Bengal’s Shantiniketan holi celebrates in more cultural manner. Here, the holi celebrates as Basanta Utsav or Spring Festival, which makes it one of the best places to celebrate Holi. In Shantinikentan, Holi was introduced by Rabrindranath Tagore and people wore yellow colour dress and the use of water is quite less over here. People play with dry colours in visva Bharti campus where various cultural functions were also held.
Delhi
Delhiites and NCR people celebrate Holi in a vibrant way. The roads and lanes are filled with colour, water balloons, pichkari and buckets filled with a mix of colours & water. The loud Bollywood music, thandai and ofcourse the yummiest dish of Delhi makes the festival, one of the best Holi in India. The societies, farmhouses and many private events scheduled in a vibrant and vigour way to celebrate holi.
Final Thought
Holi is the most vibrant festival in India and around the corner of the country, holi plays in their own style. The common thing all over the country is holi played with brotherhood and the famous dish served to the people is ‘Gujia’. In this blog, I had mentioned some of top places which were known for the best places to celebrate holi in India. It’s time to plan a trip and make your Holi 2024 vibrant and memorable.
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