5 Reasons to Celebrate 202 Holi in Mathura and Vrindavan


With just a few Months left for Holi-one of the main festivals of the country, it is high time to decide your venue for the celebration. You might have been part of many Holi festivals, but nothing could be close to indulging in the Holi celebration at Mathura and Vrindavan. Both sacred cities are located in Uttar Pradesh and are quite close to each other. Unlike other places, the Holi celebration in Mathura and Vrindavan start a week before. This year the celebrations will begin in the first week of March and will culminate on the next day of Dulandi. Read more to know what makes Holi celebration in both the holy places so special?

Significance of Holi in Mathura and Vrindavan

There are many legends which mark the significance of the festival. According to one of the famous folk stories, Lord Krishna was the one who started huge Holi celebrations in both cities. He was born in Mathura and grew up in Vrindavan; thus, most of his folks, especially the ones around Holi, are related to both the holy places.

Reasons to Celebrate 2022 Holi in Vrindavan and Mathura:

1. Lathmar Holi Celebrations in Barsana


If you wish to celebrate Holi in an epic way, then do visit Barsana. The small village is at a distance of 40 km from Mathura. It is believed that the divine village is the birthplace of Lord Krishna’s beloved, i.e., Radha. According to the legends, every year, Krishna used to visit Barsana to play Holi with Radha and Gopis (her friends). In return, Radha and her friends used to beat him and his friends with sticks in a playful manner. This gave way to lathmar Holi celebrations in Mathura.

To kick start the festivity, men from neighboring places visit Barsana, where women beat them with sticks known as laths. To save themselves, men use a shield. The entire ritual is done for fun, and there is no serious intention amongst men and women to beat each other. Besides Lathmar Holi, people put colors on each other faces and celebrate the festival with great zeal. This year you can visit Barsana on 4th March and head to Nandgaon (Krishna’s village) on the following day to continue the festivity.

2. Celebrating the Festival of Holi with Widows




For the longest, widows in Mathura and Vrindavan have been denied to relish the festival of colors. However, in 2013 the widows from Pagal Baba Widow Ashram introduced this festivity, and since then, widows across the city join the Mathura Holi celebration. Many Sanskrit scholars and priests also accompany the festival. If you want to make your Holi unique, do become part of the celebration this year.

3. A riot of Colors in Banke Bihari Temple






No Holi is complete without colors and water. On Chhoti Holi, the day of Holika Dahan, people from all around the Vrindavan and Mathura visit the temple to play the festival of colors with each other. What makes Holi celebration in Vrindavan even more enthralling is that God (Lord Krishna) also celebrates the festival with his devotees. Devotees are allowed to apply color to the lord. Meanwhile, Goswamis plays bhajans and devotional music, and everyone dances in unison.

4. Mathura Holi Celebration in Dwarkadheesh Temple


Lord Krishna is also known as Dwarkadheesh. One of the most famous temples in Mathura is the Dwarkadheesh temple, where the Mathura Holi celebration takes place on the main day itself. People from all walks of life grace the festivities and participate with full zeal and enthusiasm. Early in the morning, people start preparing a special drink called bhang and sweets like gujiya. The temple opens at 10 in the morning. Till then, people celebrate Holi outside the temple, and once the gates of the temples are open, the festivities step a notch higher with priest playing bhajans and dhols. All the devotees start dancing and celebrate the festival with the lord in a grand way.

5. Wild Huranga Holi CelebrationIn


some way, Huranga is the extension of Lathmar Holi. On the next of Holi, the Huranga celebration takes place at Dauji Temple, which is at the distance of 30km from Mathura. On this day, women from the family which established the temple strip the clothes of men and beat them. After this ceremony, the usual Holi festival continues in the courtyard of the temple, and everyone joins the festivities.

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