UTTAR PRADESH

MATHURA, NANDGAON, BARSANA:

In Uttar Pradesh, a North Indian state of India, the celebration of Holi revolves around the legend of the love and romance of the celestial couple Radha and Krishna.

In the village of Nandgaon where Krishna spend his childhood and Barsana, the birthplace of Radha, Holi is celebrated for days together. The streets are filled with people dancing to the tunes of folk music. Gulal and colored water are thrown at each other. Drenched in colors, the people thoroughly enjoy the festival. The men folk of Nandgaon and the women folk of Barsana play the game of ?Huranga?. The men use the most abusive language, which is directed to the women folk. The women retaliate by beating them with sticks, and the men try to protect themselves with shields. This particular custom is known as ?Lathmar Holi?. The women take full advantage of this opportunity and attack the men folk with mock vengeances. This is a spectacle that ought to be witnessed. Celebrated on the ninth day of the month of Phalgun,

Holi is celebrated with great fervor in Mathura and Vrindavan where the residents are ardent devotees of Lord Krishna. Holi is characterized by folk songs and dances and a splurge of colors.

Holi is celebrated in Nandagaon a day after the celebration in Barsana. The men from Barsana come to Nandgaon to play Holi with the women folk of Nandagaon. This is to commemorate the legend of Lord Krishna and the Gopis. The men folk of Barsana take the flag of Larily Lal temple to Nandagaon in a grand procession. The residents of Nandagaon try to capture the flag but their attempts prove to be futile. The women at Nandgaon protest the Barsana men with bamboo staffs whilst the onlookers make the scene colorful. This festival is celebrated on the tenth day of the month of Phalgun.

At Dauji (Baldeo), a village near Mathura, people celebrate this festival with great fervor. The men are caught unawares by bucketfuls of colored water poured on them. The men are made victims by the women folk. They are thrashed with whips made of cloth which is torn from the men?s clothing On the whole it is a pretty wild event.

Holla Mohalla is celebrated a day after Holi in Punjab especially by the Nihang Sikhs. This festival is characterized by cultural events. The Nihangs exhibit their martial expertise by organizing mock battles, sword fighting and archery on this day. This festival continues for three days.

An interesting ritual marks the festival of Holi in Haryana. Here the Sister in laws beat their brother in laws (devars) in mock anger with her sari rolled up in the form of a rope. In the evening the devars come with sweets for their sister in laws to earn their goodwill. This ritual is known as Dulandi Holi.