Holi Celebrations in Different States of India

How Do People Celebrate Holi in Different States of India?

If you are passionate about colours and eager to discover intriguing details about Holi, the renowned Indian festival of colours, you've come to the correct location. This article will reveal the various ways people tend to celebrate Holi in different states of India and their local names for the festival. So, before we reveal those interesting facts about Holi to you, let us first learn what the Holi festival is all about.

What is the Holi festival?

It is a well-known Indian festival linked with Hindu mythology and is celebrated not only in India but around the world. Holi is also known as the "Festival of Love" and the "Festival of Colors." This vibrant festival basically embodies an opportunity to spread cheer, delight, and happiness and to greet the onset of spring.

What is the Holi festival?

Holi is observed on the day of the full moon in the Hindu month of Phalguna, typically falling in the months of February or March. There are several legends surrounding the festival's origins and beginnings. A well-known tale is the legend of Holika and Prahlad.

Holika was a demoness (a female demon) who was appointed by her brother, King Hiranyakashyap, to kill his son, Prahlad, who was a devout follower of Lord Vishnu. Holika had a special cloak that made her immune to fire, and she tried to kill Prahlad by sitting in a fire with him.

However, Lord Vishnu intervened, and the cloak flew from Holika and covered Prahlad, who was saved while Holika burned to ashes. The burning of Holika symbolises the triumph of good over evil and is customarily celebrated on the eve of Holi. Apart from this, the story of Lord Krishna and Radha is also a well-known tale associated with the celebration of Holi. According to this legend, Lord Krishna was envious of the fair complexion of Radha and complained to his mother about it. His mother suggested that he should smear Radha's face with colour to make her complexion similar to his.

Lord Krishna followed his mother's advice and smeared colour on Radha's face, marking the beginning of the tradition of playing with colours on Holi. The legends we shared are among the best-known explanations for why Holi is celebrated. There are other stories associated with the festival as well, but these are considered to be the most authentic and widely accepted.

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Why is Holi called the Festival of Colours?

Holi is also known as the "Festival of Colors," mostly owing to the tradition of throwing and smearing coloured powders on each other. This joyful practice signifies the arrival of spring and the spreading of happiness and positive energy. The vibrant colours are said to represent joy, love, and unity among people, as well as the celebration of the triumph of good over evil. The festival of Holi serves as a reminder to let go of grudges and come together to spread joy and love.

Do you wonder in which state Holi is celebrated in India?

Do you really want to know which state in India celebrates Holi? Let us quickly give you an answer for that question.

Holi is a well-known festival in India that is celebrated with great fervour in various regions throughout the country, including almost every city and state. Some of the most famous places for Holi celebrations include Mathura and Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh, as well as Barsana in the same state, where the Lath Mar Holi festival is held.

Holi is also popular in the states of Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi, Punjab, and Maharashtra, among others. The festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm and fervour in these regions, with people coming together to sing, dance, and throw coloured powder on each other. After determining in which state Holi is celebrated, let us now learn when or at what time of the year the festival takes place.

When is Holi celebrated?

Before getting the answer to the question, "When is Holi celebrated?" Let us acknowledge the fact that it is one of the most vibrant and joyous festivals celebrated in India and worldwide, predominantly among Hindu communities. So, what is the Holi festival?

Answering that, we can say that Holi is primarily recognized as a celebration of spring, marking the triumph of good over evil. Moreover, the festival customarily takes place on the day of the full moon, which, according to the Hindu calendar, is in the month of Phalguna and tends to fall somewhere between February and March as per the Gregorian calendar. The exact date of the celebration, however, varies from year to year.

Holi is a two-day festival, with the first day being known as Chhoti Holi or Holika Dahan and the second day as Rangwali Holi. On the first day, bonfires are lit in the evening to symbolise the burning of the demoness Holika, who tried to kill the devotee Prahlada. The second day is marked by the play of colours, where people smudge each other with dry powder and coloured water, dance and sing, and feast on delicious food.

The festival is a time of great merriment and revelry as people of all ages come together to celebrate. Friends and family gather to throw coloured powders, squirt coloured water, and dance to the beat of dhol drums. The use of colours is a symbol of the shedding of past mistakes and the embracing of new beginnings.

Holi offers a chance for individuals to put aside their disagreements and unite in love and harmony. The festival celebrates the arrival of spring, the conquest of good over evil, and brings people of all backgrounds together to spread joy, unity, and happiness. Holi is a delightful celebration and a must-experience event for anyone travelling to India from abroad during this period.

Holi event names and celebration styles in different Indian states

Now that we know why we celebrate Holi and what stories surround its beginning and what this festival is all about, let us learn how different states of India celebrate this wonderful festival in their respective unique styles. Without a doubt, Holi tops the list of the most eagerly anticipated festivals in India. People in different parts of the country celebrate this festival of love and colours with great enthusiasm and zeal. The way in which Holi is celebrated varies from state to state, reflecting the rich cultural diversity of India. Here's how most Indian states (or parts of them) celebrate this wonderful festival of colours in their unique ways:

1. Rang Panchami – Maharashtra

In the western state of Maharashtra, Holi is celebrated as "Rang Panchami." On this day, people play with coloured powders, sing and dance to the beat of dhols, and feast on traditional sweets and savoury dishes. In some parts of the state, a unique tradition of singing and playing musical instruments on the streets is also observed.

2. Lathmar Holi & Holi Milan - Uttar Pradesh

In the northern part of India, Holi is celebrated with great fervour, especially in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Delhi. People light bonfires, sing and dance around them, and throw coloured powders on one another. The festival symbolises the victory of good over evil and marks the end of winter and the arrival of spring.

3. Holla Mohalla- Punjab

Punjab celebrates ‘Hola Mohalla,’ which looks, sounds, and feels like Holi for warriors! It is celebrated a day before Holi.

The celebration exhibits a profound display of martial arts, horse-riding, and reciting poetry, primarily to pay homage to the bravery of Sikh warriors, particularly to the sect known as ‘Nihang Sikhs. This is later followed by music, dance and colour.

4. Shigmo- Goa

The spring festival in Goa is called Shigmo. It is organized as a massive carnival with traditional folk songs and street dances, apart from playing with colours. As Goa is a coastal state with the primary occupation being fishing, fishermen’s boats are vibrantly decorated with religious and mythological themes.

There are two customs of celebrating Shigmo: ‘Dhakto Shigmo and Vhadlo Shigmo, meaning small Shigmo and big Shigmo, respectively. ‘Dhakto Shigmo is celebrated by the rural population, farmers and labourers, while ‘Vhadlo Shigmo is celebrated by everyone else.

5. Royal Holi- Udaipur

As the name suggests, Holi celebrations are done in Udaipur on a grand scale. Known as the kingdom city of ancient Mewar, the traditional festivities of this dynasty are continued till today by the Mewar royal family.

On the eve of Holi, the bonfire is lit by the current custodian and the effigy of ‘Holika is burnt. A flamboyant parade of decorated horses and the royal band follows. It’s quite a spectacle!

6. Kumaoni Holi - Uttarakhand

Kumaoni Holi is a celebration in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand that happens across many towns over a couple of months. This festivity is more of a musical affair than of colours as in the other states, and signifies the start of the sowing season for the farming community.

People light the Holika pyre (which is a bonfire with a green Paiya tree branch in the middle) known as ‘Cheer. Holi here is commemorated in three different forms:

• Baithaki Holi: The locals sing songs and showcase a musical performance with classical instruments. The songs are based on classical ragas with a touch of spiritualism, fun and melody.
• Khadi Holi: Men are donned in traditional garb as they sing and dance on Holi songs with instruments like the ‘Dhol and ‘Hurka.
• Mahila Holi: As the name suggests, this celebration is exclusively organized for women (mahila) and is a form of ‘Baithaki Holi.

7. Manjal Kuli- Kerala

In the southern state of Andhra Pradesh, Holi is celebrated as "Meduru Holi." People participate in processions with traditional music and dance and throw coloured powders on each other. A unique tradition of singing devotional songs dedicated to Lord Krishna is also observed.

Gujarat

In the Indian state of Gujarat, the festival is celebrated under the name "Dhuleti." People participate in a procession with traditional music and dance and throw coloured powders at each other. The celebration also involves burning effigies of Holika, the demon, and feasting on traditional sweets and savoury dishes. The best thing about this festival is that it is celebrated across India with great enthusiasm and fervour, reflecting the rich cultural diversity of the nation and how people are still united. The celebration may vary from state to state and different states may have different Holi event name ideas, but the spirit of the festival remains the same: to spread love, joy, and happiness and to welcome the arrival of spring!

West Bengal

In West Bengal, the eastern state of India, Holi is celebrated as "Dol Jatra." The celebration begins with the worship of Lord Krishna, who is believed to have played Holi with his friends and lovers. People dance to traditional music or folk songs, sing along, and throw coloured powders on each other. In some parts of the state, "Phool Dole," or the "flower fight," is also an important part of the celebration, where people throw flowers at each other.

How to celebrate Holi?

Holi is a festival that is celebrated as the end of winter and the beginning of spring. It is usually celebrated over the course of a couple of days, the first one being known as "Dhuli" and the second one as "Bahulayan." It is a festival that is celebrated during the arrival of spring, which is the beginning of a new cycle.

In ancient times, people in the country felt that during the winter, there was some evil that was ruling over them and eating away their colour. So it was believed that this evil could be driven away by using colours. Hence, Holi is a festival of colours as people go out running around smearing colours on each other’s faces and using water guns to spray colours on each other.

Holi is a festival that is celebrated by people of all religions, whether it is Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, or any other. People of all ages celebrate Holi with equal enthusiasm. It is indeed a festival that is celebrated with great enthusiasm, pomp, and joy in India and around the world.

This year's Holi date:

Holi is an Indian festival that falls in the month of March or in the month of April. Having said that, the precise dates are set based on the position of the moon. This year, Holi date is most likely to be the 8th of March. The festival is traditionally held on the full moon day of the Hindu month of Phalgun.

This wonderful Indian festival is celebrated with a lot of frolic, fun, and enthusiasm across the country and even around the world. One of the most fascinating traditions associated with Holi is the throwing of colour and water on the faces of friends, family, and neighbours. Holi is fun, frolic, happiness, and enjoyment.

Conclusion

Now that you know all about how Holi is celebrated in which state of India, we hope that you will be able to appreciate and embrace this festival in a better way than before. Holi is a unique, colourful festival that is celebrated by millions of people not only in India but across the world, and we think everyone should know about it.