The Best Places to Celebrate Holi in India

Holi is among the most significant and cherished festivals in India. It is celebrated across cultural spreads and all the regions in India with the same spirit of joy. It is observed as a two-day festival that begins with Holika Dahan, where people perform religious rituals in front of the bonfire, which is symbolic of the destruction of evil. The next morning is Dhulandi or Rangwali Holi, which is full of love, frolic, and colors. The festival is celebrated in different styles across India but the most noticed form of celebration is playing with colors and water, distributing sweet delicacies specially made for the occasion, and visiting each other to convey greetings and love.

Though it is a national festival of India, there are a few places that celebrate Holi in a style no other place does. And these have been pulling people to be a part of the festivity from everywhere. Check out these places where you get to see the most happening traits of this festival.

Goa

Holi in Goa

This is one of the best times to be in Goa. The festival of Holi starts with local customs and worship of the spiritual deity by the native people. They call it Shigmotsav. The festivities continue over a time of two weeks, with the last five days of the festival having parades, performances, and cultural drama by the local artists and volunteering troops. It is, for the most part, celebrated in the areas of Panjim, Margao, and Vasco. You will see the beaches of Goa going colorful and afloat with foreign and local tourists all over the place. A mesmerizing view to watch!

Mathura & Vrindavan

Holi in Mathura & Vrindavan

If you want to get the flavor of the authentic traditional Holi right from the land of fables of Krishna, Mathura is your destination. According to the legends, Krishna performed his ‘Rasaleela’ with Radha and the Gopis in the neck of these areas, where he spent the early years of his life. You will see the Holi celebrations picking the spirit and feel of the holiness of these pilgrims. As you see the temples and streets going crowded with colorful devotees and musical processions amidst the loud chants of ‘Radhe Krishna’.

Shantiniketan

Shantiniketan Holi

Holi gets a new way of celebration at Shantiniketan, West Bengal. This was started by the Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore as an annual festival named as Basanta Utsav. Here, you can see the students of Vishva Bharati University cladding them in yellow and performing different festal rituals. Here, it is a wonderful sight to see the folk performances and cultural acts by them built on amazing themes and beautiful backdrop innate to the Bengali heritage of art. This is the reason why a large number of tourists come from various parts of India to be a part of this unique celebration held here on the occasion of Holi.

Hampi

Hampi Holi

One of the highly famed heritage sites of India, Hampi is another great place to turn up to on the occasion of Holi. Hampi locals see the springtime as a season of growth, abundance, and bliss and consider these as one of the most auspicious days. On this day, that is observed on Phalguna Purnima as per Hindu Calendar, they come out on streets and celebrate the occasion splashing colors and dancing their way to joy all across the place. This is considered as one of the prime faces of Karnataka Tourism and receives tourists from all over and is something you should try at least once at the time of Holi.

Jaipur

Jaipur Holi

If you want to see how the Royal Holi is played, there’s no better place to see it other than the Pink City. The grand regal traditions and massive parades with a lavish convoy of beautifully decorated elephants, horses, camels, folk dancers, and performers are waiting for you here on Holi. Apart from rallying, you can see these animals taking part in outdoor activities like polo, races, and tug-of-war. There are many celebrations taking place in various tourist spots and community centers to help you closely see their cultural practices on this occasion. Besides, the entire Jaipur wears passionate colors and joyful vibes as they play Dhulandi with great spirit and excitement.

Final Words

These are certainly the most interesting places where you can see the best of Holi celebrations taking place. With the unique tradition and great tourist value these places offer, especially on the occasion of Holi, they receive visitors from all over the world in large numbers. These are not the only places with a distinct act of Holi celebration but are definitely the ones that are highly considered and valued as the most sought-after destination that builds everlasting Holi memories. Book Festivals Tour Package at Footloose Holidays. Vibrant Fairs and festivals of India allow tourists to gain insight into the life, tradition and colorful culture of India.