Introduction

Holi is a popular festival celebrated across the world. The Holi festival celebrated in Braj is unique and diverse, that many tourists from across the world come to visit this holy land to take part in the festivities. Braj is the land where Lord Krishna grew up and performed His divine pastimes. So, Holi here is extra special with many traditions which spans for nearly 40 days!

The traditions in each Holi festival celebrated across Braj is unique and tells a delightful story of Krishna's pastimes with His dear devotees. Like the tradition of Laddoo Holi, where instead of colours, laddoos are showered on the visitors and Lath maar Holi, where apart from throwing colours the women of Barsana (representing the party of Radharani and the gopis) chase away the colour throwers (representing the party of Krishna and the gopas).

Every tradition takes us back to those magical days when Lord Krishna personally played Holi in Braj and captured the minds of everyone. Come join us as we explore more about Holi in Braj.

Upcoming Dates of Holi Celebrations in Braj

- Ladoo Mar Holi: March 17, 2024 (Barsana)
- Lathmar Holi: March 18, 2024 (Barsana)
- Lathmar Holi: March 19, 2024 (Nand Gaon)
- Phoolon ki Holi: March 20, 2024 (Vrindavan)
- Chadi Mar Holi: March 21, 2024 (Gokul)
- Holika Dahan: March 24, 2024 (Mathura)
- Colorful Holi: March 25, 2024 (Mathura)
- Dauji Ka Huranga: March 26, 2024 (Baldeo)

In the sacred land of Braj, the festival of Holi is celebrated with a myriad of unique and colorful traditions. The festivities begin 40 days before the actual Holi, creating a vibrant atmosphere for cultural and spiritual experiences for devotees and visitors alike.

Story Behind Ladoo Mar Holi

Ladoo Mar Holi celebrates the playful pastimes of Sri Krishna. As per local folk, this tradition originated when Lord Krishna visited Barsana to play Holi with His beloved Radharani and the gopis. 

However, instead of colors, the gopis and Radharani decided to surprise Krishna by throwing  laddoos and sweets at Him as He approached the entrance of the palace. Krishna being pleased happily and playfully accepted this sweet onslaught. This marked the beginning of the Ladoo Mar Holi tradition.

Ladoo Mar Holi in Present Times

Over the centuries, this tradition has continued with great fervor in Barsana.
People from both the places gather and play around the mandir while they shower ladoo prasadam over all the devotees.

The laddoo prasadam is considered as a blessing from Srimati Radharani. The events goes on for long hours in the evening. This back and forth banter between the gopis and Krishna is recreated in the form of bhajans, dance and theater. 

In this way, Ladoo Mar Holi is a celebration of the divine pastimes of Sri Krishna and Radharani. The entire atmosphere gets filled with gaiety, love and devotion to the Divine Couple.

Lathmaar Holi

Lathmaar Holi is one of the most famous traditions celebrated in the Braj. It is celebrated in Barsana and Nandgaon.

Story behind the Lathmaar Holi in Barsana and Nandgaon

As per legends, when Lord Krishna and His cowherd friends visited Barsana to throw colours on Radharani and her associates, Radharani and the gopis chased him away with sticks. Krishna ran away in mock fear, thus starting the tradition of Lathmaar Holi.

Present Times - Lathmar Holi 

Over centuries, this tradition of Lathmaar Holi continues with great fanfare in Barsana and Nandgaon. Several days before Holi, women make special sticks from wood of neem or araar trees. The men also create shields to protect themselves.

When Holi arrives, men from Nandgaon visit Barsana to represent Krishna's party. Women dressed as gopis and representing Radharani’s party then playfully hit these men. The men try their best to approach Radha's temple while women pelt them with sticks. 
The same happens when the men from Barsana visit Nandgaon the next day in an attempt to take over the Nand Bhavan

There is much singing, dancing and swirling clouds of colors everywhere during the event. Some men do manage to reach the temple and claim victory. 

In this unique celebration, everyone becomes part of the eternal pastimes of Radha and Krishna. The whole atmosphere gets filled with devotion and Krishna consciousness.

Phoolon Ki Holi

Phoolon ki Holi is a unique flower holi festival held in the city of Vrindavan and its nearby villages a day before the actual Holi festival.

Story Behind Phoolon Ki Holi

Locals say, that once Lord Krishna got annoyed with Radharani and the gopis who smeared colors on Him. To appease Him, the next day they decorated a tree with flowers and put Krishna's Deity under it’s shelter.

They performed His aarti, offered flowers with devotion and asked for forgiveness with pure devotion. Krishna's heart melted immediately and being pleased, he showered everyone with flowers, marking the first Phoolon ki Holi.

Present Times Phoolon Ki Holi

Over centuries, this tradition has continued with great zeal on the eve of Holi in Vrindavan. The Banke Bihari and Radha Raman temples are splendidly decorated with flowers. The priests dress the deities with flower garlands and perform special pujas.

Thousands gather in the temple premises and on the streets with baskets of flowers specially marigold, rose and jasmine. At the sound of drum beats, they shower the deities, and later on each other with rose petals while singing Holi songs.

The streets are filled vibrant colors and divine floral fragrance in this unique celebration of affection. In this way, Phoolon ki Holi commemorates the divine pastimes between Krishna-Radha in the season of spring.

Chadi Mar Holi (Gokul)

Chadi Mar Holi is celebrated in Gokul village to commemorate Lord Krishna's childhood adventures with the gopis. 

Story Behind Chadi Mar Holi

According to legends, Lord Krishna was once chased away by gopis with sticks while playing pranks on them. 

Krishna ran away but decided to get even. The next day He came prepared with His friends and broke the gopis' sticks, sparking great laughter and fun. This event became the basis of Chadi Mar Holi.

Present Times - Chadi Mar Holi

Centuries later, this unique holi is played in Gokul with great excitement. A huge pile of thorny acacia sticks is burnt symbolising the destruction of evil. 

The men then raid the gopis' area to break their sticks. The gopis safeguard their sticks playfully while smearing the raiding men with colors. 

After much fun and frolic, men finally manage to break some sticks, claiming victory just like Krishna did. The air resonates with the sound of drums and devotional songs.

In this way, the Chadi Mar Holi tradition brings alive the legends of Krishna's childhood pastimes and celebrates his bond with His beloved devotees through cheerful traditions. 

Holika Dahan

Holika Dahan marks the beginning of the Holi festivities. Its origins lie in the popular legend of Holika - the demon sister of King Hiranyakashipu who could walk through fire unharmed. 

Story Behind Holika Dahan 

The story goes that the King asked his sister Holika to enter a blazing fire with his young son Prahlad in her lap. Prahlad was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu while Hiranyakashipu wanted to kill him. 

However, when Holika sat in the fire, she was burnt to ashes while Prahlad emerged unscathed due to his unwavering devotion. This showed the ultimate triumph of good over evil.

Present Times Holika Dahan 

To commemorate this legend, Holika Dahan is celebrated on the eve of Holi in North India. Huge bonfires are lit to symbolize the cremation of Holika. 

People gather around the fire, perform puja and circumambulate the fire with their families. Many also chant bhajans like "Holi Aayi Re" and other prayers to the fire god Agni.

In some places, effigies of Holika are also burnt in the fire marking the destruction of evil. The ashes from holika are later smeared on the body as it is deemed auspicious.

The next morning, Rangwali Holi festivities begin to celebrate the victory of virtue. In this way, Holika Dahan signifies the burning away of impurities, evil and sinful inclinations - both physically and metaphorically. 

Dauji Ka Huranga

Dauji Ka Huranga is a lively festival celebrated in the village of Baldev. 

Story Behind The Dauji Ka Huranga 

The legend goes that Lord Krishna once took the guise of a woman and went to bathe in the Yamuna river with his female friends. There he playfully took the clothes of the women when they were bathing. In return, the women stole Krishna's clothes to get back at him.

This interesting tale is commemorated through the unique Huranga tradition observed till date.

Present Times - The Dauji Ka Huranga

During Dauji Ka Huranga, women gather to beat the men folk with cloth whips and try to tear their clothes in a playful and harmless manner while the men throw colours to protect themselves.

The atmosphere becomes chaotic with color powders like gulal and abeer flying in the air. Participants smear colors on each other while trying to dodge the beatings from the clothes. The air resonates with laughter and mischief throughout the day.

In this way, Dauji Ka Huranga festival is celebrated in Baldev.

Holi at Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir

At Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir the festival of Holi is celebrated in a grand fashion. For devotees at Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir, Holi festival coincides with another major festival – Gaura Purnima, the appearance of the Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

On this day, the devotees offer Pushpa Abhishek to the Deities of Sri Radha and Krishna accompanied by sankirtan and Vedic chants. The devotees also shower flower on the Deities when they are taken on a palanquin procession amidst kirtans. 

The Upcoming Marvel - Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir

The soon-to-be completed Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir will be the tallest temple in the world. The upcoming Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir (VCM) is an architectural wonder aimed to be the tallest Hindu temple in the world at about 700 feet tall. 

Built across a massive 2,50,000 square feet area, the temple complex will consist of the breathtaking Krsna and Balarama Mandir, a Vedic Museum, a large Prasadam Hall, a massive pillar-less hall, Gau shala and more.

What one can experience?

Visitors and devotees of Braj experience an enchanting journey of cultural immersion and spiritual significance during the various types of Holi celebrations. The vibrant colors, joyous rituals, and festive excitement offer a unique opportunity to witness and partake in the rich tapestry of traditions associated with the festival of Holi. Each celebration brings forth distinct experiences, encapsulating the essence of devotion, history, and culture.

Conclusion

Celebrating Holi in Braj is such a culturally rich experience. The diverse traditions like Ladoo Holi, Phoolon Ki Holi or Lathmar Holi provide a vibrant tapestry of rituals, colors and stories that is centered on Lord Krishna.

Though each is unique, they ultimately help us remember and connect with Lord Krishna’s pastimes through the festival of Holi.