Holi Colour Festival, India

As the world starts to become more tolerant of other cultures beliefs and religions we see a lot of countries around the world taking part in festivals and celebrations which would normally not be on the countries holiday lists. This could be due to travel becoming more affordable and easier to embark on, or it could also be that more and more people throughout the world now have access to the vast array of videos, media, blogs displayed on the world wide web.

One country which you would rarely hear your family or friends say their travelling to is India. Situated on the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea, India is known as being one of the most populated countries in the world. Gradually we have seen India transform form a developing country and slowly, awareness is catching on that India is the place to travel, with a fast growing economy and great culture there's no longer an excuse to not visit the wonderful place. Maybe you're the type of person that wants to experience culture? Or maybe you're the type of traveller who is after an adrenaline rush. Either way there is a great festival held annually in Indian in the month of March, which will give any traveller an experience they will never forget.

The Festival known as Holi is the religious celebration held in spring throughout the world by the Hindu religion, and lasts up to 16 days. The exact legend behind Holi is uncertain, it is said there was once an evil king named Hiranyakasipu and he had a son named Prince Prahlad. The Prince infuriated his father as he was considered Holy and would often worship Lord Vishnu instead of worshiping his father. The king is said to have tried to kill his son several ways but failed due to Lord Vishnu always saving the prince. The king eventually ordered his evil sister Holika who was immune from fire to lure his son and take him into blazing flames. It was said that because Holika was using her powers for evil, the gods stripped her of this gift and she perished in the flames. The Prince forgave his evil aunt Holika and celebration of good triumphing over evil began annually, thus the name Holi. We also see a legend which involved young Krishna who envied his soul mates Radha's fair complexion, Krishna is said to have gone and coloured Radha's face with darker colours and today this legend shows the lovable prank of applying colours to love ones faces throughout Holi. This is where we see the fun of the Holi festival; throughout the celebration people throw coloured powders, water bombs and even use pichkari's which are somewhat similar to water guns.

Locations for Holi

Marthura & Vrindavan

If you want to experience a traditional Holi visit Mathura and Vrindavan, which are approximately 2 hours south of New Delhi. The month before Holi you will see dancers from throughout India come and interpret the story of Krishna and Radha's legend.

Jaipur

Approximately 4 hours drive south west of New Delhi lays Jaipur. During the Holi season Jaipur offers dancing, elephant beauty contests and parades, foreigners are also regularly seen at this Holi celebration.

New Delhi

To celebrate modern Holi at its best check out the Delhi Holi Cow festival. A celebration of colour, music and people the festival is held a short distance outside of the main city of Delhi. The festival is a mixture of locals, tourist and expats making it a safe place to partake in the celebrations.

Mumbai

If you would rather not partake in the festival but still be able to see and experience the culture check out Juhu Beach or Colaba. Both these locations will be safe if you are just going to watch the as this is a tourist location.

Tips for Celebration Holi in India.

• If you are driving your hire car to a destination give yourself plenty of time to get there , there will be a lot of traffic - It would be best if you arrive at the destination a day or two before to avoid missing out. Definitely avoid driving during Holi's peak hours.
• When driving during the 16 days of Holi celebrations it is highly recommended to keep your car windows closed - to avoid any powder , or coloured water accidently entering your car.
• Due to Holi being one of the messiest festivals make sure to wear old clothing, it may be hard to remove certain colours.
• If buying coloured powder try and buy shades of reds - this is because the other colours have more chemicals, better yet try and find someone who is selling natural powder.
• Make sure to apply coconut oil or moisturisers to your body to avoid the colours staining your skin.
• It is also best if you wear some kind of eye protection like sunglasses to avoid any mishaps with the coloured powder.
• It is highly recommended that women do not go out and celebrate Holi alone; this is due to safety concerns.
• And the best tip of all is to have fun! The festival is about celebrating culture, history, love and freedom, embrace the traditions and make sure to take lots of photos!

Are you planning a journey through India? If so take a look at our website or just five one of our friendly reservations staff a call on 1300 656 601 today!