Sanctioned rainbow anarchy! – Top 5 ways to enjoy Holi this year.

Holi is an integral part of Indian tradition, and in 2017 why not do something a little different to celebrate this wonderful, frenzied festival of color?

The celebration is rooted deeply in Hindu mythology; with the word ‘Holi’ originating from ‘Holika’ the evil sister of demon king Hiranyakashipu, who according to legend was the king of Multan, Punjab. He earned a boon that made him virtually immortal, and with his indestructibility his arrogance grew.  Eventually the contemptuous king began demanding to be worshiped as a god. However his pious son, Prahlad, seeing his father’s delusion, refused to worship him and remained devoted to the one true god, Lord Vishnu. Upon hearing of his son’s disobedience, the king plotted to kill his son. Finally after several attempts, the king asked his sister Holika to carry out the deed. Holika then coaxed the young Prahlad to sit in her lap while she entered a blazing fire, knowing that she had received a boon whereby she could enter the fire unscathed. However she did not know that this boon applied only if she entered the fire alone. Legend has it that Holika perished in a prismatic blaze, and Prahlad, who was chanting the name of Lord Vishnu, emerged unharmed.

Traditionally Holi is celebrated over three days, the final day being the colorful water and powder fights, where everyone is fair game, regardless of age, gender or background. The night before, huge bonfires are constructed all over the country, and effigies of Holika are burnt to represent the victory of the good over evil.

As well as being celebrated in the religious sense, Holi marks the end of the the long cold Winter and welcomes in the Spring season with zest.

The festival of Holi has been adopted into contemporary youth culture as much as it’s still celebrated in a number of traditional ways, with Festival type events being created by like minded creative souls all over India as a colorful opportunity to embrace the season.

If you’re lucky enough to be in India over this Holi period, you’re spoiled for choice on ways to join in with the festivities. Whether you’re looking for something traditional, or to live it large with some new age fun, our top Holi events pick will help you find the perfect rainbow getaway.

1) Eleholifest, Jaipur

As Holi is most fervently celebrated in the golden triangle tourist spots of India, why not spent it in tourist hot spot, Jaipur, Rajasthan.

Eleday is an innovative elephant village dedicated to elephant conservation in India, where visitors can learn about their habits, unique needs and the importance of their conservation. While Eleday operates year round offering an array of elephant activities, they have pioneered Eleholifest as an opportunity to experience Holi in true Rajasthani fashion with the most majestic animals of India, elephants. The Eleholifest package includes unlimited access to a variety of coloured powders and water to join in with the playful Holi colour fight, authentic Indian food and drink, traditional Indian music, traditional rain dance and best of all the opportunity to

feed and interact with the Elephants.

How to travel

Jaipur is incredibly easy to access from most major cities in India via train, which is the least expensive option, or internal flight. The city is connected with most major Indian cities by rail, and Jaipur International Airport has direct air links with many major cities including Delhi, Hyderabad, Goa and Kolkata.

If travelling from Delhi on a tight budget, there is a regular bus connecting Delhi and Jaipur.

Tickets for the event and more information can be found at http://www.eleholifest.com

 

 

 

2) Holi in Varanasi.

Varanasi is undoubtedly the spiritual hub of India, the land of salvation for diversified Hindu devotees. Where better to experience a festival deeply intertwined in Indian culture?

An ever popular tourist spot for those wishing to enrich their souls by the gorgeous Ganga river banks, Varanasi has much to offer in terms of an authentic Holi experience. Why not enjoy the carefree and zealous celebratory vibes in the city of Lord Shiva as the tranquil banks of the Ganga are transformed by a kaleidoscope of colour. If it’s a traditional experience you’re looking for, Varanasi during Holi is a must. Throw caution to the wind and get involved with the fun.

How to travel

Varanasi is easily accessible via air travel, with the nearest airport, Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport, located around 25km North West of the city centre. The centre of Varanasi from the airport is accessible via taxi, bus or Auto-rickshaw. The city is connected with most major cities including Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Bengaluru via internal flight. Varanasi is also connected via railway to Delhi, Agra, Lucknow, Mumbai and Kolkata.

 

 

3) Holi Moo! Festival, Delhi and Hyderabad

Looking for some new age fun? Holi Moo fest has it all. This event is a wonderful underground movement connecting artists and musicians, coming together to create a collaborative buzzing environment where you can really let loose and join the kaleidoscope of fun. As expected for any Holi event, this wild fest involves lots of color, so you get an element of the traditional game of Holi within this creative contemporary landscape. As their website states, Holi Moo add ‘method to the madness’ of Holi, with simulations stages and a variety of live music acts, food and drink.

“Right from its inception, the dream of this festival has been to create a creative eco-system that is inclusive and an experience that is ultra-vibrant. This year’s Holi Moo! Festival marks another successful peg in the evolution of the festival as we seed collaborations not just with artists but with leading tastemakers of our scene. Our focus has always been on intensifying the experience of Holi as a cultural step forward, every year. With Wild City, Roost and Krunk curating stages, we believe our audiences will have even more to look forward to,” – Organisers of Holi Moo.

What else to expect at Holi Moo!

It’s not just genre-defying music that one gets to savour at Holi Moo! Festival musts include playing witheco-friendly, organic gulaal(available in abundance) and taking a dip in the inflatable pools dotted around the venue. Stilt walkers, roving minstrels and dhol performers add to the festive fervour, while attendees get to savour traditional Holi delicacies and international favourites like pizzas and grills in an environment that’s safe, secure and welcoming for all age groups. Specially-crafted colourful cocktails for the weekend are always a big draw at the bars, as are the herbal concoctions that the festival is known for.

Holi Moo Delhi features 4 stages and 30 artists performing throughout the day .

Tickets for both the cities are available at http://www.holimoofestival.com/for sale and are priced at Rs 2,500 for Delhi and at Rs 1,500 for Hyderabad. While details for the Hyderabad edition will be announced soon, Holi Moo Barn at Asiad Tower Lawnsin the Capital will once again host the day-long festival.

 

 

 

How to Travel

Delhi

Indira Gandhi international airport is an entry point for many, not only into Delhi but into North India. Once in Delhi, travel between the airport and the city is easy and accessible by metro. The journey to New Delhi Metro station takes around 20 minutes.

From Delhi railway station, the metro is accessible by crossing the city street to reach the station.

The closest metro station to Delhi Holi Moo! Festival venue is Hauz Khas metro station, accessible via the Yellow Line.

Taxis are also a relatively cost effective way to travel within Delhi with many local firms as well as Uber and Ola operating throughout the city.

Hyderabad

Hyderabad is well connected by train to both Northern and Southern India, and is accessible by bus from most parts of Southern and Western India, and all parts of Telegana.

Once in Hyderabad it’s easy to get around my bus or Auto-rickshaw, just beware of the trains as they tend to be a little unreliable! The venue for Holi Moo! Hyderabad is yet to be announced, so keep an eye on their website for further information.

 

 

 

4) Phoolon wali Holi, Vrindavan

The word Holi immediately invokes images of coloured powders and dyed water being playfully cast about, however in the home town of Lord Krishna one temple does things a little differently to the rest. At the Banke Bihari temple in Vrindavan, Holi is celebrated in a beautiful and unique way; with flower petals. In the past this event has not been as popular as other Holi attractions but it is quickly receiving the attention of many tourists and locals alike. It’s a fairly short affair lasting around 20 minutes where vibrant flower petals are thrown at devotees by temple priests, making this not only a unique experience but also a perfect photo opportunity for photography enthusiasts. So be sure to arrive on time as it’s easy to miss the narrow time slot!

This event takes place on the Ekadashi before Holi, which in 2017 falls on the 8^th of March, and the temple gates open at around 4pm.

How to Travel

Vrindavan is located in Uttar Pardesh roughly 150km away from Delhi. The nearest train station is located in Vrindavan’s twin town of Mathura around 12km away and is easily accessible by rickshaw. While in Vrindavan travel by foot or rickshaw is easily the most convenient mode of transport due to the small town’s narrow streets and footpaths.

5) UNITE Music Festival, Delhi

 

Yet another contemporary take on Holi is UNITE Festival, organised by Delhi based promotion company Neonrings. Here are a few words on UNITE by the organizers themselves:

“ UNITE is a venture by NEONRINGS INDIA that on the eve of Holi thrives to spread in everybody the freedom of self expression through a unique kind of Dance movement in INDIA

It is a uniquely conceptualized musical event to ever touch Delhi. Introducing a brand new genre in the line up of music spectacles in India where electronic music & Dance meet stagecraft and technical wizardry like never seen before.

An experience based combination of sound, light, video, animation, special effects, aerial choreography, laser show and much more that is sure to dazzle you.” – Neonrings India

So prepare yourselves for a vivid spectacle and embrace those fluid freedom vibes!

How to Travel

For information on travelling to Delhi, see No 3.
Once in Delhi, the events venue is the famous Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, which is accessible by metro via the Violet Line from the JLN Metro station. Alternatively there are local taxi firms as well as Uber and Ola operating throughout the city.

Holi Safety Tips.

While perhaps the most joyous festival in India, things can get a little crazy at times, so here are some tips for staying safe this season

1) Prepare to get thoroughly splashed! There will likely be colored water and powders hurling through the air all around you on the last day of Holi as people take to the streets to play Holi. While back in the good old days the dyes were made of natural ingredients, there are some fairly nasty chemical dyes around now. Do use some kind of barrier cream to protect your skin, and wear a cap to cover you hair. If you have severe asthma or sensitive skin, it may be better to stay indoors. 

2) Wear some old clothing! Unless you are purposely out to tie-dye your entire outfit (each to their own!) wear something you don’t mind getting stained as it can be tough to wash out some of the harsher chemical dyes.

3) Women and girls need to be particularly careful at Holi. There have been cases of women being targeted by mischievous local guys, so its best to stay in the safety of a group.  

4) If you’re a photography enthusiast, be sure to use some protective camera equipment to avoid your camera being damaged from the dyes and water.

5) Don’t be afraid to join in the fun! Have a glass of Bhang Lassi and let your hair down. 

 

Happy Holi!