Vrindavan is a city seeped in 'Krishna-bhakti', an unshakeable, unquestionable faith in Krishna, one of the most mystical and multi-faceted deities in Hinduism and the eighth divine incarnation of Lord Vishnu, the preserver in the Hindu Trinity of Gods.
Krishna is a God, all-powerful, who kills demons and fights evil and is yet a gullible cow herd who plays the flute, steals butter and sings and dances with his most devout companion and beloved Radha and Gopis, the milkmaids and playful consorts of Lord Krishna.
This transcendental playful bond between mortals and the divine called 'Raas Leela' forms the premise of 'Krishna-bhakti' and adds a spiritual fervour to the festival of Holi in Vrindavan.
About Vrindavan....
The city of Vrindavan is part of the larger area of Braj Bhoomi in the state of Uttar Pradesh in North India on the banks of the Yamuna River.
Braj Bhoomi encompasses the cities of Vrindavan, Mathura, Nandgaon, Barsana, Govardhan, Gokul and the adjoining forests, ponds, hills and gardens.
Mathura is the birthplace of Lord Krishna, also known as Krishna Janambhoomi, while Vrindavan, 14 kilometres away from Mathura, is where he spent his childhood years.
The entire region of Braj Bhoomi is like a spiritual theme park where every narrow lane, nook and corner and every house in the city resonates with this theme. With over 5000 temples, a visit to this region is a spiritual roller coaster that refreshes the senses and rejuvenates a tired mind.
A pilgrimage of the entire area of Braj is called 'Chaurasi kos yatra' in Hindi, meaning '84 kos' which roughly converts to 252 kilometres and takes about 7 days to complete.
The folklore behind Holi ....
The festival of Holi is the harbinger of spring in North India.
As the popular folklore goes, Krishna was dark-skinned while Radha, his beloved was fair. She often teased him about his dark skin. He playfully smeared her face with different colours in a bid to change her skin tone. To this date, young lads smear the faces of young women amidst playful chants of 'Radhe Radhe' and get away with it because it's Holi time!
Holi in Vrindavan....
The entire region of Mathura and Vrindavan comes alive with the Holi festivities that last for 40 days. The main celebrations start a week ahead of the main festival.
Very close to Vrindavan is Barsana, the hometown of Radha. Holi festivities begin here first. Krishna and his friends would travel to Barsana to play Holi with Radha.
It's customary for young men to go to Barsana to play Holi with the womenfolk, who in turn, playfully beat them with sticks to drive them away. The festival is called 'Lathmar Holi', 'lath' meaning stick in Hindi.
Holi festivities continue in the form of 'Phoolon ki Holi' where the festival is played with flowers instead of colour. Different kinds of Holi celebrations are assigned to each day in this 40-day celebration which culminates in the main festival of Holi which is celebrated over two days.
There are 3 main temples where Holi festivities take place, the most revered one being the Banke Bihari Temple. Very close to this temple is Shri Radha Vallabh Temple, Radha Vallabh implying the consort of Radha that is Krishna. The third popular temple is Prem Mandir which is beautifully lit up for Holi celebrations. Another popular temple is the ISKCON Temple. This temple attracts devotees from all over the world and one can see them singing and praising Lord Krishna in their classic chant 'Hare Rama Hare Krishna'.
2 days of Holi festivities in Braj Bhoomi ....
Day One is Holika Dahan. On the eve of Holi, a big bonfire is lit at various public places across the entire North India and also at various public spots in the towns that fall under Braj Bhoomi. The holy fire is lit at the auspicious time allocated for it each year and people sing and dance around the fire that symbolises the victory of good over evil.
Holika Dahan is the story of Holika, sister of the Demon King Hrinyakashyapu and his son, Prahlad, a devout worshipper of Lord Vishnu. Holika got a boon from Lord Brahma, the creator that the Fire God would be unable to harm her. The Demon King, unhappy with his son's devotion to the Gods decided to trick him into entering the pyre with his sister in a bid to burn him to ashes. But as Holika and Prahlad entered the fire, Holika got decimated by the fire while Prahlad came out unscathed.
To this day, common folk put balls of wet dough tied with a thread around them into the bonfire. As per popular belief, the dough balls get cooked while the thread remains intact, the thread symbolising Prahlad who came out unaffected by the fire.
Day Two is the main Holi festival that involves colour and water. The red-coloured powder called Gulal is made from cornstarch and organic dyes made from crushed flowers. These days a lot of synthetic colors in different shades are also available.
A few things to remember if you're planning to visit Vrindavan during Holi....
Holi is one of the most crowded times of the year in Braj Bhoomi. So, booking and planning your trip with details like where to stay is a must. This is not a good time for sudden visits to the city unless you wish to make a day trip only.
There is a common misconception that Holi festivities could turn into hooliganism considering the nature of the festival which involves smearing colour on each other's faces. I'd like to mention here that the festival might involve getting everyone smeared in colour and water but there is nothing unpleasant or rowdy about it. The festival of colours is played with an underlying spiritual fervour.
There seems to be an unstated and unwritten rule that if you are loitering on the streets of Vrindavan during Holi then you are willing to partake in the festival too. The streets are full of people carrying dry or wet colours in their hands who smear passer-byes with them, all in good spirits though.
I want to reiterate that the towns of Mathura and Vrindavan are extremely crowded. Most roads leading to the temples are converted into Traffic-free zones for the main two days of the festival. This creates problems for people coming into the city from the neighbouring cities.
The devotees throng the temples in massive numbers. I have come to realise that the best time to visit these temples is very early in the morning. That is the only way you can beat the crowds and see the deity properly without the jostling and pushing.
Needless to say, it's advisable to wear minimal jewellery and carry as little cash as possible before venturing into the crowded bazaars.
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