5 Best Places to Play Holi in 2019

Can there be another festival which is as vibrant and free-spirited as Holi? We don’t think so. The legend of Holi draws its inspiration from Indian mythology and the playful chronicles of Radha and Krishna. It is said that Krishna being jealous of Radha’s fair complexion threw colours on her to even the score. This celebration of life, love and the onset of spring has many variations across India and beyond. If you are on a lookout for the best places to celebrate Holi in 2019, here’s a list of the one-of-a-kind destinations that will notch up your splashing and smearing experience.

Vrindavan

Vrindavan was where Radha and Krishna met for their secret rendezvous at the garden of Krishna-Leela. This is where it all began, and is thus without a doubt, one of the best places to play Holi in India. Holi in Vrindavan is an extravagant affair, and the festival is observed here over a week’s time. Thousands of devotees and tourists from all over the world are drawn to Vrindavan to catch a glimpse of India in its colourful best. Priests throw colours on devotees from the threshold of the temples. The celebrations also include parades, performances of “Raas-Leela” and cultural shows.

Krishna is celebrated for having accepted all downtrodden, rejected and widowed women as his queens, and Vrindavan being the home of Lord Krishna, attracts many widows and estranged women from all over the country to celebrate Holi too and it’s heart warming to watch them throw colours and flowers on each other.

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Mathura

Holi in Mathura – the birthplace of Krishna, is an extremely exuberant affair. Mathura is an absolute uproar during the Holi month. Yes, you heard it right, a whole month of Holi! The place is totally hijacked by excited tourists and that is what makes Holi in Mathura so much fun to witness.

The Holi festival celebrations in Mathura also include age-old traditions, which are observed with utmost respect and reverence. Lathmar Holi is celebrated in the nearby villages of Nandgaon and Barsana, in which men playfully tease the women, and the women retaliate by hitting them with sticks – hence the name Lathmar Holi. Men are allowed to protect themselves with shields but cannot hit back. According to the legend, Barsana was the home of Radha where Krishna went to tease her. An infuriated Radha, with the help of her friends, chased him away with sticks. The celebrations of Lathmar Holi are a unique experience indeed.

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Read more: Top Weekend Getaways from Delhi

Shantiniketan

Poet and Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore established the tradition of celebrating Holi as Basant Utsav or Spring Festival in Santiniketan. Basant Utsav in Shantiniketan is observed as an annual event at Tagore’s Vishwa Bharati University. Students present some wonderful folk dances and cultural programmes for visitors, followed by the tradition of smearing each other in colours. Basant Utsav has come to be a cherished tradition at Shantiniketan. Basant Utsav takes place a day earlier than Holi and is now considered an important part of the Bengali heritage. A huge number of tourists arrive every year at Shantiniketan to witness and participate in the celebrations, which unlike the rest of the country are graceful and dignified. Young boys and girls welcome Basant, the season of hope, with an elation expressed by not just throwing colours but with beautiful songs, dance and soulful chanting of hymns, dressed up in spring colours. Holi in Shantiniketan has a unique and unmatched flavour which one shouldn’t miss.

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Udaipur

Udaipur is a city of stunning beauty. Numerous turquoise lakes surrounded by arid hills and white palaces make for a pretty picture, especially so during festival seasons. Holi celebrations in Udaipur commence with the burning of Holika at the central square outside Jagdish Temple, followed by which there’s is music and dancing, joyous celebrations, bursting of firecrackers and more. The following morning, people step out on the streets and narrow lanes of Udaipur with there buckets full of coloured water and water cannons. Locals and tourists participate alike with great enthusiasm which makes Udaipur a great place to play Holi in India.

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Read more: Forts in Rajasthan You Can Actually Stay In

Songkran

The Songkran festival in Thailand is not celebrated for the same reasons as Holi, though it falls around the same time. Songkran is in fact derived from the Sanskrit word “Sankranthi” and is the New Year’s Day for Thais. It is a huge festival in Thailand and is celebrated with great energy and exuberance. Water splashing has recently become a common practice marking this festival. There are no colours or paints like Holi, so those who dread the side effects of Holi colours can head to Thailand to witness the simple pleasure of being drenched by a sneaky bucket of water. Songkran is celebrated over a period of three days with popular processions and performances, accompanied by images of the Buddha. A wide array of local Thai delicacies can also be enjoyed during this time.

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The Holi festival is a time for uninhibited celebrations. So get into the groove and celebrate Holi in 2019 like there’s no tomorrow!