Vrindavan Holi 2016 Dates and Celebration
Holi, the Festival of Colours
has been celebrated in India since thousands of years and is now also
celebrated by various communities of South Asia including non-Hindu
communities. Holi will be celebrated on Wednesday, 23rd March, 2016
all over the world with Holika Dahan preceding the festival on the
night of 22nd March. The following weekend could be combined and it
becomes a great holiday option for everyone.
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 colors in a playful manner. Over the years, Krishna from his village Nandgaon used to go to Barsana (Radha’s village) to color Radha and other Gopis. They also used to playfully beat him with sticks. And hence the tradition evolved.
To make your trip planning easy, we have given below chronological order of festivities. You can choose to attend a few or simply plonk yourself in the town and experience the most colorful week of your life.
Looks a little hectic, eh? Don’t fret as we have have just the thing that will wish away all your worries. Our friends at Padhaaro believe in treating every traveller as a guest and offer local experiences which make their trips really memorable. And this year, they have a neat Experience Package of Holi Celebrations in Mathura and Vrindavan. Book your tickets now.
Hurry!! Book Holi Package
Barsana Holi celebrations start about a week before the actual date of Holi. Barsana is a village near Mathura and it was the village of Radha. It is famous for its lathmar Holi
in which women beat men (playfully) with sticks. The celebrations in
Barsana will happen on 27th of February. 2015. Barsana is the place
where Radha used to live and Krishna used to visit this place to put
color on Radha.
Celebrations in Barsana is followed up by similar celebrations in Nandgaon (Krishna’s village) on the very next day (28th of February, 2015). Nandgaon has found 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 color on Radha, Radha and her friends came to Nandgaon on the next day to put color on Krishna. And hence, Holi celebrations shift from Barsana to Nandgaon.
The Banke-Bihari Temple in Vrindavan
is one such place to enjoy the festivities as it hosts a week long Holi
celebrations here. During these days, 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 colors 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.
Apart from Banke Bihari Temple, every other major Krishna Temple in Mathura and Vrindavan has some special celebrations going on for the entire week.
The Gulal-Kund in Braj is also another interesting place to celebrate Vrindavan Holi . It is a small lake near the Govardhan hill. Local people act in Krishna-Lila drama and re-enact the scenes of Holi for the pilgrims.
Why celebrate Holi in Vrindavan and Mathura and origin of Holi
While Holi is celebrated in almost every part of India, Holi in Braj is especially famous. Braj is a historical region which covers the area of Mathura, Vrindavan and some nearby areas. Holi here attacts tourists and pilgrims from all over the world because of it’s special customs and traditions. Mathura is the birth-place of Lord Krishna and Vrindavan is the place where he grew up in his childhood.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 colors in a playful manner. Over the years, Krishna from his village Nandgaon used to go to Barsana (Radha’s village) to color Radha and other Gopis. They also used to playfully beat him with sticks. And hence the tradition evolved.
To make your trip planning easy, we have given below chronological order of festivities. You can choose to attend a few or simply plonk yourself in the town and experience the most colorful week of your life.
Holi Calendar 2016: Schedule of Celebrations
| Important Occasions | Date | Day |
| Lathmaar Holi at Barsana | 17th March 2016 | Thursday |
| Lathmaar Holi at Nandgaon | 18th March 2016 | Friday |
| Holi in Mathura | 19th March 2016 | Saturday |
| Holi at Banke Bihari Temple in Vrindavan | 20th March 2016 | Sunday |
| Holi celebration in Gokul | 21th March 2016 | Monday |
| Dwarkadish Temple in Mathura | 22th March 2016 | Tuesday |
| Holi celebration at Temples & streets of Vrindavan | 23th March 2016 | Wednesday |
| Actual Holi celebration | 24th March 2016 | Thursday |
Looks a little hectic, eh? Don’t fret as we have have just the thing that will wish away all your worries. Our friends at Padhaaro believe in treating every traveller as a guest and offer local experiences which make their trips really memorable. And this year, they have a neat Experience Package of Holi Celebrations in Mathura and Vrindavan. Book your tickets now.
Hurry!! Book Holi Package
Barsana for Holi on 17th March, 2016
wooden sticks in response to their efforts to put color on them.
Celebrations in Barsana is followed up by similar celebrations in Nandgaon (Krishna’s village) on the very next day (28th of February, 2015). Nandgaon has found 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 color on Radha, Radha and her friends came to Nandgaon on the next day to put color on Krishna. And hence, Holi celebrations shift from Barsana to Nandgaon.
Holi in Vrindavan
Holi celebrations in Banke Bihari Temple
Apart from Banke Bihari Temple, every other major Krishna Temple in Mathura and Vrindavan has some special celebrations going on for the entire week.
The Gulal-Kund in Braj is also another interesting place to celebrate Vrindavan Holi . It is a small lake near the Govardhan hill. Local people act in Krishna-Lila drama and re-enact the scenes of Holi for the pilgrims.
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