'Phag khelan Barsane aye hain, Natwar Nandkishore' is a well-known Awadhi thumri sung to celebrate Barsana Holi. So what else makes the Barsana Holi 2025 different from the traditional Holi celebrated in other parts of the country? Let us find out.

Vrindavan Holi Festival

The Holi in Vrindavan attracts tourists from all over the world. It is a sight in itself due to the grand celebration. Apart from other incredible rituals, one will hear songs to make an individual enthusiastic enough to dance. Unlike the celebration held in other places, the Vrindavan Holi is a weeklong celebration by the natives, as well as tourists from all over.

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Barsana Holi: Lathmar Holi 2025

Radha, the immortal love of Lord Krishna, was born in Barsana, which is located approximately 42 km away from Mathura. The Holi in Barsana is celebrated a week before the Holi celebrated in other places. To hoist the flag above Shri Radhika's Temple, Males from Nandgram visit Barsana every year this time of the year. Lathmar Holi is what this Holi in Barsana is called, in which the women hit the men with sticks as a part of the tradition.

Barsana Lathmar Holi falls on the first day of the Vrindavan Holi Festival. This year, the weeklong festival of Holi will start from March 7, 2025 to March 14, 2025 at different places around Mathura, Vrindavan and Barsana. 

Barsana Holi Dates 2025

The schedule of the Vrindavan Holi Festival is as follows:

Why is Barsana Holi known as Lathmar Holi?

Krishna used to often visit Barsana to tease, bully and play with the Gopis. Radha, along with her friends, to take offense, caught him as well as his friends and hit them with a lathi(stick). The atrocities of Krishna and his friends began increasing day by day, hence, Radha thought to teach them all a lesson. Then they decided to attack the entire group of boys with sticks and forced them to wear women's clothes. They also made the entire gang dance before they finally are allowed to leave Barsana for Nandgram. This story became popular among the residents of Barsana, who have been celebrating Holi in this manner ever since, building the Holi celebration in Barsana around this mythology.

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How is Holi celebrated in Barsana?

On Lathmar Holi, males from Nandgram reach Radhikaji's Temple fully dressed and padded and wearing protective gear to safeguard themselves from the attack. The women will block their way and stop them, while men should find themselves space to enter the temple. The men who are caught have to wear women's attire and have to dance to the music. After the flag is hoisted at Radhikaji's temple, a small prayer is offered, after which men and women play Holi.

Similarly, on the day following to the Lathmar Holi, Barsana men go to Nandgram, and Nandgram women beat them with sticks. However, the Barsana men would typically drown the Barsana women in real Palash flower (Butea Monosperma) colors & Kesudo. Kesudo is typically an odorless flower, but when submerged in water for almost a night, produces a saffron-colored liquid, and the petals have a saffron taste. These petals produce a lovely color frequently used as a colorant in Holi, acting as a cooler in the summer.

Palash flowers are unique to Jharkhand & Gujarat and usually used in Holi celebrations in Barsana. The petals of this flower are also beneficial for treating rashes and other problems related to skin.

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On the day of Lathmar Barsana Holi, Thandai made up of rose petals, milk, cardamom, fennel seeds, almonds, watermelon kernels, pepper, saffron, vetiver seeds, and sugar is served all day to everyone. The temple in Barsana is the only Radhikaji's temple in the entire country. Celebrated with great enthusiasm, the government also makes sure that peace is maintained during the Holi celebration in Barsana. 

FAQs

Q.1 Where to celebrate Holi in Vrindavan?

Ans. The Holi in Vrindavan is best celebrated at the Banke-Bihari Temple as it hosts a week-long Holi celebration.

Q.2 Which are the other places where Holi is celebrated uniquely?

Ans. The Dhuleti in Gujarat, Shigmo in Goa, Phaguwa in Bihar, Dol Jatra in West Bengal, Kumaoni Holi in Uttarakhand, Yaosang in Manipur are the places having unique Holi Celebrations.