Holi 2023: 5 famous places where you can celebrate the festival of colours

Holi, the festival of colours, falls on March 8 this year.

The festival of Holi is a grand, colour-filled occasion in India. It celebrates the Spring season's arrival and commemorates the love between Hindu deities Krishna and Radha. On Holi, people play with powdered colours, share sweets and pray. There are some cities in India where Holi celebrations are especially extravagant. Take a look at some places you can visit:

Mathura

Holi at the birthplace of Lord Krishna is a memorable affair each year with big processions, dance and music events, matki phod contests and performances of Ras Leela -- a dance form that the recounts the story of Krishna, Radha and the Gopis (his consorts and devotees).

Vrindavan

Situated just 15 kilometres away from Mathura, Vrindavan plays host to the "lathmar Holi (Holi with sticks)" every year. In the towns of Barsana and Nandgaon, women playfully hit men with lathis (sticks) to enact the story of Radha and her friends driving Krishna and his gang out of Barsana.

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Anandpur Sahib

The Sikhs celebrate the three-day festival of Hola Mohalla at Anandpur Sahib in Punjab. It is a grand display of colours, big processions and martial arts, sure to be spectacle for visitors.

Shantiniketan

The Visva-Bharati University in Shantiniketan, West Bengal, founded by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, hosts the Basanta Utsab (the festival of spring) each year. Students dress up in vibrant outfits and perform to Rabindra Sangeet. Outside in the town, there are processions and gatherings where people colour each other in abeer (dry colours).

Udaipur

Udaipur, with its grand palaces and lakeside venues, is another popular spot to celebrate the festival of colours. Many luxurious properties become available to rent for sundowners. There are also Holi tour packages that include sightseeing in the city and nearby areas.