10 Exciting Places To Celebrate Holi In India in 2024

Holi is the festival of colors and the most vibrant one of all Hindu festivals. The Holi Celebration marks the end of winter in India and welcomes the spring season. On the Holi Celebration, people play with colors, meet and greet one another and create new beginnings. Similar to other cultural festivals in India, the Holi festival also symbolize the victory of good over evil in India.

In the Holi Celebration, People of all age groups smeared their faces and clothes with different colors of “Gulal”. The festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm and fervor. The Celebration is generally held on Phalgun Purnima (February-March).

History of Holi

The Holi Celebration actually begins a day before Dhulandi (day of playing colors). In Holi, there are multiple rituals but the most popular of them is “Holika Dahan”, a mythological character. Prahlad, the son of demon king Hiranyakashipu was an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu. Prahlad, disobeyed the orders of his evil father not to offer prayers to the Lord Vishnu.

For this reason, Hiranyakashipu wanted to teach a lesson to his son Prahlad. He sought assistance from his sister named Holika to kill Prahlad. The sister of Hiranyakashipu, Holika sat on a bonfire with Prahlad but to the amazement of the king, the fire burnt the invincible Holika alive and the Son of Hiranyakashipu, Prahlad remained unaffected. So this is the reason behind Holi Celebration.

10 Best Places To Celebrate in Holi

1. Holi Celebration in Mathura

People who witness the Holi Celebration in Mathura will always cherish the unforgettable memories. The most popular thing for Holi in Mathura is “Lathmar” Holi where women are playfully hitting the men with the sticks. The Holi celebration is popularly played on the premises of the Radha Rani Temple which is located in the Barsana town.  It is also considered as the birthplace of Radha, the beloved of Lord Krishna.

2. Holi celebration In West Bengal

The Holi Celebration in West Bengal is known by various names such as Dol Purnima, Dol Jatra, Holi Khela, etc. On the day of Holi West Bengal, people welcome the spring season by playing colors and distributing sweets. In this festival, boys and girls wear saffron (yellow) colored dresses and flower garlands. The idols of Radha and Krishna are also beautifully decorated. And takes into the palanquins for the procession (Yatra) around the different parts of the West Bengal.

Indeed Holi West Bengal is mesmerizing!

3. Holi Celebration In Rajasthan

In many places of Rajasthan, Holi Celebration is played in a similar fashion just like any other part of India. During the celebration, there is a huge bonfire that is burnt and surrounded by the people singing multiple songs, dancing and relishing scrumptious food items. In the morning the next day, people throw colors (Gulal and Kumkum) to greet each other.

Suggested read: Explore best places in Rajasthan

4. Holi Celebration In Vrindavan

The Holi celebration in Vrindavan is played in a joyous manner. People of Vrindavan dress up themselves as Krishna, Radha, Gopi and engage in joyful pranks with each other. The great interest of people showing their utmost respect and devotion to the Almighty is simply incomparable.

People who visit the Vrindavan city experience the feeling of romance flowing in the air. In Mathura-Vrindavan, the Holi Celebration continues at least for a week. Each and every temple of Vrindavan city celebrates Holi with great fervor.

5. Holi celebration in Punjab

In Punjab, Holi is played as Holla Mohalla, a celebration by Nihang Sikhs which is known as the warriors of Holi. It is a very unique style of the Holi celebration started by Guru Gobind Sahib in 1701. It is celebrated a day after Holi. One of the best places to celebrate Holi in India with a different level of energy and passion among people.

The popularity of this festival can be judged by the fact that of the five Sikh holidays requested by Khalsa Diwan in Lahore in 1889, only two were approved by the government: the birthday of Hola Mahalla and Guru Nanak. Hola Mahalla is currently the largest festival in Anandpur. Here it is worth briefly discussing the city and the participants in this festival.

6. Holi celebration in Mumbai

Holi is an important festival in Mumbai which is celebrated in traditional style and fun. Holi Dahan is celebrated a day before Dhulandi, which is known as ranga Panchami in Mumbai. People of Mumbai play Holi a lot more than just applying colors and waters on each other. They also cherish the festival with night campaigning, live DJ performances, along with bonfire events. 

7. Holi Celebration In Goa

The festival of Holi is called Shigastava in Goa. The festival begins with the prayers of the village deities. And it is the biggest festival for Hindus and is spread over a fortnight. The parade is held in the last five days of the festival. Shigastava is highlighted with performances of the Mandals in the form of parades and cultural plays. On the fifth day, the festival reaches its peak when Gulal is used to paint everyone.

Which is celebrated with much fanfare, most of the festivals are mainly concentrated in Panjim, Vasco and Margo. The main Goa beaches also become colorful on the day of Holi, which is quite a sight to behold in which a large number of locals and tourists play with colors. Apart from celebrations, one can also book some famous yoga retreats in India such as to relax their body, mind and soul as part of Goa tour package.

8. Hampi, Karnataka: Holi in South India

If you are looking for a spectacular Holi, South India is generally considered the best. As Holi is a predominantly North Indian festival, it is quite a year in most places in the south. And here the focus is mainly on religious aspects and temple rites. However, Hampi is a notable exception in Karnataka!

The entire city leaves early in the morning (perhaps for the benefit of many Western travelers) to play Holi, amidst the ruins of the drumming, dancing and the grand Vijayanagar Empire. Later, the crowd slowly moves towards the river to wash away all the colors. And finally, all the people give a hug and all the blessings

9. Delhi: Musical Holi

Holi gets an influx of miscreants in Delhi. If you live anywhere around Paharganj, then be prepared to be covered in color by the shopkeepers and children because people in Delhi celebrate Holi in a very bad way that even people visiting Kabhu have trouble, If you step outside.

And if you can get tickets for the festival in Holi (formerly famous Holi Kau Festival), you can try. This festival of color, music and madness has over 40 Indian and international artists spread over four stages. The atmosphere is safe, and non-toxic colors are provided, with Hemp Lassi, street food and sprinklers to get everyone in the mood. Many, as well as local people, participate.

10. Khadi Holi, Kumaon, Uttrakhand

Kumaoni or Khadi Holi in Uttarakhand is a serious musical event. In India, this Holi festival is celebrated by the local people who wear traditional clothes Churidar, notched cap and Kurta Pajama and dance in groups singing songs. The music is played by traditional Dhol and Hurka. Later, the crowd walks in a procession, greeting the people around. People also join wherever they go.
And here the festival of Holi lasts for two months. Kumauni Holi takes different forms as Khari Holi, Mahila Holi and Baithki Holi, where songs are sung in different ragas starting from the temple premises. The songs are sung in an order depending on the time of day. Another interesting fact about Kumauni Holi is the colors they use. It is made from natural sources such as flower extracts, ashes and water.

Conclusion

Holi is known as the festival of colors and joy. The ardor of colors is something that brings in a lot of positivity in our lives. Holi festival is actually a day worth rejoicing. In this article, we provide the most relevant information about the Holi festival that will give brief details about the event, how it is celebrated and why this festival is more famous in India.

Some other similar festivals are also played globally, but the festival of Holi and especially Holi in Mathura is about how you rejoice with life by taking into account prosperity and spiritual well-being.