Barsana Holi — What Is The Real Date Of Holi?

A day of enjoyment for adults and children alike, Hindus all across the globe spend their days waiting for this festival of colours. There are multiple stories related to Holi, the most popular and loved among which is the tale of Krishna, an avatar of Lord Vishnu and his lady love Radha.

Usually, Holi is celebrated for two days. Still, in the Braj area, the hometown of Krishna and Radha, Holi is a nine-day event filled with fun activities and celebration of Krishna and Radha’s love for each other. The Braj region includes Vrindavan, Mathura, Barsana, Nandgaon, Govardhan, and Gokul. During Holi, the entire area transforms and bustles with tourists, visitors, and pilgrims who come here to seek the blessings of their God and celebrate the festival of colours.

This year, Holi falls on March 25th. The day before, on March 24th, people will observe rituals and practices like Holka Dahan and Kama Dahan in parts of North and South India, respectively. However, the 2-day celebration is massive and is celebrated for nine days in the Braj region. Barsana Holi is not just one day. Instead, it is a week-long event. Not only do the people in this region celebrate Holi with a lot more ardour and enthusiasm, but they also have some exclusive rituals, practices, and activities that make the event a worthwhile experience for everyone. If an individual wants to experience the real essence of this Hindu festival, they need to visit the Braj community, making Mathura their base. They can easily travel to other locations like Barsana, Gokul, and Vrindavan from Mathura to participate in events like Lathmar Holi (stick Holi) in Nandgaon, Laddoo Holi in Barsana, or Phoolon Wali Holi in Vrindavan.

• Laddoo Holi In Barsana: Laddoos are a famous Indian sweet that is bright yellow in colour and round and is believed to be a favourite of lord Krishna. Just like people smear coloured powders and water, in Ladoo Holi, they throw sweets at each other. The event is held at the Radha Rani Temple, also known as Shriji Temple, on top of the Brahmangiri hills in Barsana. According to myths, it was here where Radha spent a substantial portion of her childhood and early adulthood, and the temple was built in her honour.
• Lathmar Holi In Barsana: One day after the Laddoo Holi, Lathmar Holi is celebrated in Barsana. Typically visitors come the day before or on Laddoo Holi and stay till the events of the Lathmar Holi are completed. As the story goes, Krishna was born in Nandgaon and fell in love with Radha, originally from Barsana. So on Lathmar Holi, men from Nandgaon come to Barsana to play colours with the ladies. And the women chase them away with “lathis” or sticks. Everything is done in fun and jest, and it is one of the most popular occasions of Barsana Holi. There is a hilarious story related to Lathmar Holi. Krishna was born with blue skin, while Radha was fair. When Krishna told his mother, Yashoda, about his colour, Yashoda advised colouring Radha in his favourite shade. Funnily, when Krishna did act on his mother’s suggestion, he was chased away by Radha and the other gopiyas, which led to this custom being practised in Barsana and Nandgaon.

• Lathmar Holi In Nandgaon: After Lathmar Holi is observed with great energy and gusto in Barsana, it is celebrated in Nandgaon, the hometown of the 8th Vishnu avatar. The festivities start between 4 and 5 pm and are a chance for Nandgaon women to exact “revenge” for the “beatings” their men received the day before! Word of caution: the entire practice is playful, and no maleficent intentions exist behind this custom. So do not be surprised when you see a hoard of beautifully dressed people chasing around each other with colour and sticks in their hands!
• Phoolon Wali Holi In Mathura And Vrindavan: Phoolwali Holi, or Flower Holi, is exclusive to Mathura and Vrindavan and will be celebrated. The Event lasts 25 to 30 minutes, during which people sometimes play with flowers, colours, and even lathis. The main venue in Vrindavan is the Banke Bihari Temple, one of the holiest shrines for Hindus and Vaishnavas, and the Krishna Janmabhoomi Temple in Mathura.
• Chhadi Mar Holi In Gokul: Chhadi Mar Holi is a speciality of Gokul and symbolise Krishna’s childhood, where Krishna being a naughty kid, had to be reprimanded by his mother and the other village ladies. Similar to a smaller Lathmar Holi, the activities start around noon and continue for one and a half hours, after which the familiar people participate by running after each other with thin sticks.
• Widow Holi In Vrindavan: Holi in Vrindavan is the only occasion where widows specifically participate in the festivities. It falls on the same day as Chhadi Mar Holi in Gokul and could become a matter of choice, but you should attend the celebrations. Vrindavan is home to over 6,000 widows who come here to spend their days in prayer and sacrifice. They only wear white sarees; however, on Widow Holi, thousands of ladies gather on the street to celebrate and enjoy this festival with gulaal.
• Holika Dahan In Mathura: Of the many stories linked with Holi, Holika Dahan is one of the most well-known narratives where daitya King Hiranayakashyap tried to kill his son Prahlad by burning him. Hiranayakashyap’s sister, Holika, resisted fire without any self-damage. When all his attempts failed, he asked Holika to sit amidst raging fire with Prahlad so that while he burnt to ashes, Holika would emerge unscathed. An unfazed Prahlad kept on chanting the name of God, and miraculously, Holika got burned at the pyre while Prahlad was saved by his saviour, Lord Vishnu. On Holika Dahan in Mathura, a massive effigy of Holika is set to fire, representing getting rid of all things dark, bad, and evil and commemorating the triumph of good.

• Holi: The chief celebration of Holi, which is the actual day of the festival, is on March 25th, 2024, which witnesses a nationwide and even worldwide celebration of the festival of colours. If one plans on enjoying Holi, the main town of Mathura is where it should be. The temple opens around 10 am, welcoming visitors, tourists, and locals, and starts the day's celebration.

We wish you a playful and happening HOLI! India's cultural, heritage and celebration diversity converges into this one festival, Holi. Barsana Holi lasts for nine days and includes the Huranga Holi in Baldeo, celebrated a day after the main events of Holi, on March 25th.