Holi is among the famous festival celebrated in India. This festival signals the end of winter and arrival of summer. Celebrated usually in the beginning or middle of march. The festival has two major religious rituals i.e. the bonfire popularly know as Holika dahan which held during the night and a celebrations with colours is held the folowing day. The festival mainly indicates the victory of good over evil. However the ways to celebrate Holi very largely base on different cities of India.
Story behind Holi
Hiranyakashyap tried several ways to kill his son Pralhad, but lord Vishnu saved him every-time. Finally he asked his sister Holika to enter a blazing fire with Pralhad in her lap. For Hiranyakashyap knew that Holika had a boon where by she could enter a fire unscathed. Holika persuade young Pralhad to sit in her lap and she her self took seat in a blazing fire. Holika was not aware that the boon worked only when she entered the fire alone.Pralhad who kept chanting the name of Narayana, came out unharmed. Thus Holi derives it's name Holika. And is celebrated as a festival of victory of good over evil.
In the several state of India specially in north sculpture of Holika are burnt in the huge bonfires. There is even a practice of hurling cow dungs into the fire and shouting obscenties at it as if at Holika. Then everywhere one hears shouts of 'Holi Hai' Holi Hai'
At My Place
When its about holi i cant stop myself to write about my place. I stay in Belgaum karnataka, in south they would't keep any idol of Holika and Pralhad but they arrange woods and burnt in the huge bonfires. omen offers Puran Poli in agni (fire) as Nevedyam. Men shout obscenties. Some times they shout in kannada language Bantu Bantu Holi Bantu, Yadakke Bantu..? Wodlike Bantu (came came holi came, why it came..? to shout it came)
At Vrindavan
As every traveler even I was planning for Vrindavan's Holi since 2 years. But finally this years I make it happen. Holi of Vrindavan is very famous. It's one one of the craziest festival of India and sees tens of thousands of travellers from around the world indulging in an insane war of paint and colours. Holi is best witnesssed in Banaras, Mathura and Vrindavan. It was my first visit to Mathura, Vrindavan. Holi is with full of madness, the crowed, Bhaang and alcohole and women's safety around this things made me apprehensive. So this time I dropped plan of solo travelling and took one friend with me. You have to book hotels 1 months prior in Vrindavan else you would't get hotel or any hostels in Vrindavan. As usual it was my sudden plan I didn't get any room in Vrindavan. So I have to stay in Mathura which was14.4km away fromVrindavan. As it was my sudden planned I didnt get any hotels or hostels in Vrindavan. You get share auto or Toto (electric auto) daily to Vrindavan. which cost Rs. 2o/- to 30 rs
Banke Bihari Temple
When it's about Holi and if we do not talked about Vrindavan's Banke Bihari Temple then surely we are missing something. In Banke Bihari Temple Folonki Holi (Flowers Holi) is as famous as Lathmar Holi which held is Barsana.
Holi starts from Banke Bihari Temple. Daily hugh people come to this temple to pitch colors on lord. It's an ancient temple with magnificently carved in Rajasthani style and is dedicated to Lord Krishna. In addition Shri Krishna Balaram Mandir, Iscon Temple, Pagalbaba ka Mandir, Rangnath ji ka Mandir, Prem Mandir, Needhi Van Temple ect are there.
Dauji ka Huranga
One day after Holi Huranga Holi is celebrated at Dauji Temple, located in Baldeo above 30km outside Mathura. Huranga Holi is a game where women playfully tear off the men's shirt and beat them up with strips of their cloths, in the temple courtyard.
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