Mathura Vrindavan Holi 2023 - All you need to know | Important Dates
- ritihk
- Jan 10, 2023
- 5 min read
Updated: Jan 27, 2023
Holi is a vibrant and joyous festival celebrated all across India, and it holds a special significance in the holy town of Mathura and Vrindavan. Located in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, Mathura is the birthplace of Lord Krishna and is considered one of the holiest places in Hinduism. The festival of Holi is celebrated with great fervour in Mathura and Vrindavan, with devotees flocking to the town from all over the country and different parts of the world to participate and immerse themselves in the celebrations. This annual festival is a celebration of the victory of good over evil and the arrival of spring, and it is marked by the throwing of coloured powders and the singing and dancing of traditional folk songs.
Significance of Mathura-Vrindavan Holi
There are countless folklores and fables knitted along the lines of holi in Vrindavan & Mathura, though there are some stories which transcend through a wider section of tourists and locals alike. It is said that when Krishna was young, he cribbed to his mother about Radha (his friend) being fair while Krishna himself was dark-complexioned. His mother (Yashoda) suggested him to colour Radha with colours in a playful manner. Over the years, Krishna from his village Nandgaon used to go to Barsana (Radha’s village) to colour Radha and other Gopis. They also used to playfully beat him with sticks. And hence the tradition evolved.
Reaching Vrindavan from Mathura
The nearest railway station is at Mathura (12km) and the nearest airport at Delhi (142km). Taxis are available from Mathura railway station at regular intervals for Vrindavan. State buses connect Vrindavan to other neighbouring cities.
To make your trip planning easy, we have given below the chronological order of festivities. You can choose to attend a few or simply plonk yourself in the town and experience the most colourful week of your life. You can also choose to be a part of Basics Escapade and leave every worry of planning behind and just get ready to have once in a lifetime experience!
Day-1 Ladoo Holi, When- 27th February 2023, Where- Radha Rani Temple, Barsana, Timing- 10:00 a.m.- 6:00 p.m.
You must have played Holi only with colours all your lifetime, isn't it? But here at Brajbhumi Holi is played not only with colours but also with love, faith, hopes emotions, flowers and LADOOS. Sounds crazy right? Yes, it gets crazy when you experience it. When the temple gates get open the crowd rushes inside to take a leap of faith and experience the flavour of Holi that is played in Brajbhumi. The local crowd gathers in the middle dancing and singing the traditional, devotional and joyful songs throwing colours and flowers at each other and on Lord Krishna and Radha Rani. Amidst this, the people bring Ladoos wrapped in plastics as a form of welcome sweets for the joyous festival and throw them while others try to grab those Ladoos.
Day-2 LathMaar Holi, When- 28th February, Where- Radha Rani Temple, Barsana, Timing- 10:00 a.m.- 6:00 p.m.
The legend is that Lord Krishna visited Barsana with his friends from Nandgaon and teased Gopis there. Gopis got annoyed, got together and wanted to teach Krishna and his friends a lesson. They chased them away from their village by beating them with sticks! Hence the name Lath Mar which means give a kick or beat with a stick!
Today, men from Lord Krishna’s town – Nandgaon – come to Barsana to tease women, get chased away and beaten by sticks! Of course, the men protect themselves with a shield and there is great energy and fervour in the atmosphere!
The men pay visit Radha Rani temple and after that gather in the streets. The women with sticks beat them on their shields! The bhang-laced ‘thandai’ gives more energy to festivities!. Elders of both villages sit inside the temple and sing ballads dedicated to Lord Krishna in ‘Samaj’ ceremony. It is a visual treat. The colour is red everywhere! in the air, on the floor, on the people!
Barsana is 50 KMs from Mathura and is an hour drive. Reach there early as the temple will get crowded. Enjoy the festivities and get drenched in colours on one of the spectacular events of Holi in Vrindavan!
Day-3 LathMaar Holi, Where- Nand Baba Temple, Nandgaon, Timing- 10:00 a.m.- 6:00 p.m.
Celebrations in Barsana is followed up by similar celebrations in Nandgaon (Krishna’s village) on the very next day. Nandgaon has found a reference in religious texts as the place where Krishna spent most of his childhood days. According to legends, after Krishna went to Barsana to put colour on Radha and her friends came to Nandgaon on the next day to put colour on Krishna. And hence, Holi celebrations shift from Barsana to Nandgaon.
Celebrate Holi Vrindavan
The Banke-Bihari Temple in Vrindavan is one such place to enjoy the festivities as it hosts a week-long Holi celebration here. During these days, the idol of Bihariji (Krishna’s another name) is dressed up in white coloured clothes and it is brought closer to his devotees to play Holi. Vrindavan Holi is played with coloured water and gulal, a form of colour made using organic substances like flowers and kesar. Goswamis (priests in the temple) sprinkle colours on everyone using buckets, water guns, etc. The whole atmosphere is made even more lively with music (bhajans) in the background and people dance to the tunes while enjoying the colors.
Widow Holi
Widow Holi is one of the lesser known yet a not to miss attraction of Vrindavan Holi! You can join the widows of Vrindavan and participate in holi with them! How interesting is it? These ladies who were once banished from homes come together and stay in the Pagal Baba Aashram and devote their life to spirituality and god. The local bodies and NGOs have come together to give them a fair play at holi and the visuals are unparalleled. You might even have tears rolling down your cheeks as you see these old ladies wrapped in simple white sarees get all excited and drenched in colours and flowers all around!
Important Dates for 2023*
28 Feb 2023 - Laddoo Holi, Barsana
01 Mar 2023 - Lathmaar Holi, Barsana
02 Mar 2023 - Lathmaar Holi, Nandgaon
03 Mar 2023 - Widow Holi, Vrindavan
04 Mar 2023 - Phoolon ki Holi, Banke Bihari Mandir, Vrindavan
At BasicsFoto, we believe that immersing yourself in the local culture is an essential part of any travel experience. That's why we offer highly immersive experiential tours to the Lathmar Holi in Barsana and Nandgaon, designed to give you the most authentic and memorable experience possible. Our tours include transportation, accommodation, food and guided tours of the villages and surrounding area, as well as the opportunity to participate in the Lathmar Holi celebrations. Don't miss out on the opportunity to experience the joy and colour of the Lathmar Holi in Barsana and Nandgaon. We have been conducting Holi Escapades since 2018 and this is going to be our 4th official outing to Mathura Vrindavan Holi! Register Now and don't miss the chance to enjoy the festival the way it is meant to be.
NOTE: The scheduled dates can be changed tentively according to the temple committee in Mathura-Vrindavan.
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