9 Unique Holi Celebrations in India you must Witness

Even the thought of Holi brings a wide smile to our faces. Holi celebration in India comprises an exciting array of colors, delectable sweets, and the togetherness of loves ones. Although the festival is celebrated all across the country, there are some places especially famous for celebrating Holi with full vigor. While we can discuss all the places that are famous for celebrating the festival of colors, let us first gather some information about the festival itself.

The date of the Holi celebration in 2021 is 29th March, although it will start from the evening of 28th March. There are several things to do in Holi, and some of them include:

• Seek blessings from elders: This is one of the days when we get up in the morning, offer some Holi colors to our deities first and then to the elders in our family, thus seeking their blessings.
• Art & craft for kids: If you have kids at home, you can encourage them to get involved in making arts and crafts to decorate the home. This will engage them to sharpen their creativity and in a way enjoy the festival even more.
• Preparing sweets: Ditch the idea of buying sweets from shops. You can make the sweets at home. This will not only help you in improving your culinary skills but will also impress the guests.

And, if this time you are in a mood to visit the various places to celebrate Holi in India, here are some options you can explore. In fact, taking road trips in India to see these places will double the amount of fun at this festival.

9 Best Places to Celebrate Holi Festival in India in 2021

• Barsana and Nandgaon
• Gulal Kund and Banke Bihari Temple, Vrindavan
• Purulia
• Shantiniketan
• Manipur
• Udaipur
• Hampi
• Anandpur Sahib, Punjab
• Jaipur

1. Barsana and Nandgaon

Lathmar Holi is a unique way of celebrating the festival in Barsana and Nandgaon, towns in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh. The celebration commences 4-5 days before the actual day of Holi. The natives of these towns celebrate Lathmar Holi with colors and sticks. A small ceremony takes place at Radha Rani Temple and then it moves to Rangeeli Mahal.

Radha Rani Temple timings: 5:00 am to 2:00 pm, 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm 

2. Gulal Kund and Banke Bihari Temple, Vrindavan

One of the tourist attractions in India is Gulal Kund, located in proximity to Rangeeli Mahal. It is where people celebrate Raasleela or Phoolon ki Holi. The locals dress like Lord Krishna and Radha and play Holi with flowers. Banke Bihari Temple is yet another place where people celebrate Holi with flowers.

Banke Bihari Temple timings: 8.45 am to 1 pm

3. Purulia

Holi is celebrated in Purulia for three days. The locals start the celebration with Holika Dahan and then it continues for two more days. It is a totally folk festival in which you can witness dances like Natua, Jhumur, Darbari, Chau, performed by the villagers.

4. Shantiniketan

Basanta Utsav is one of the main events in Shantiniketan. People from all across the country visit Shantiniketan during this time of the year to witness this event. The event takes place on the day of Holi, and students of the university dress up in yellow color and celebrate the festival gracefully. Many folk artists also take part in the celebration. You can also find Palash flowers everywhere in the surrounding area where this event is celebrated. While you plan your road trips during the Holi celebration, you must visit Shantiniketan once in life at the time of Holi.

5. Manipur

Often called ‘Holi of Manipur’, this celebration commences on the full moon day in Phalguna and runs for 6 days. The locals celebrate the event with dances, singing, and several other traditional performances. The Moonlight dance or Thabal Chongba is the main highlight of this event, which is performed by locals at night as they dance to the beat of the drums.

6. Udaipur

One of the best destinations during the Holi festival in India is Udaipur. You can see the royal family taking part in the functions that are held during Holi. The Mewar Holika Dahan takes place at the City Palace in which the King lights up the pyre. Performances like traditional dance Gair takes place around the bonfire. Holi is played with colors the next day. The Holika Dahan usually takes place at 7 pm at City Palace.

7. Hampi

If you want to see how Holi is celebrated in the South of India, you must head to Hampi. At Virupaksha Temple, it starts with Holika Dahan, and tourists and locals play with colors on the next day. Many people take a dip in the river Tungabhadra after playing with colors as they believe that all their sins will be washed away.

8. Anandpur Sahib, Punjab

The festival is called Hola Mohalla in Punjab and is celebrated by the Sikh community a little differently. At the time of Hola Mohalla, an annual fair is held at Anandpur Sahib. The fair runs for 3 days in which the members of the community display their physical strength. You can also witness music and poetry competitions, religious lectures and kirtans there.

9. Jaipur

The pink city looks even more colorful during Holi. A special event is organized by the Rajasthan Tourism on the lawns of Khasa Kothi Hotel for the tourists. You can enjoy Rajasthani folk dance, song performances, and try the sumptuous festive lunch there.

If you want to travel to these places during Holi, you can consider going for a completely secure and sanitized car rental. The self-drive car rental from Revv is one such service that can provide you some of the best cars available on rent in the Indian market. You can book the car at daily, weekly, or monthly rates and spend as much time you want at any of these destinations before or after the festival of colors. Just download the Revv app and start browsing the perfect car for these trips.