A Guide to the Holi Festival in India

What is the Holi festival?

What is the history and religious significance of Holi?

How is the Holi festival celebrated in India?

Mathura and Vrindavan

As the birthplace and childhood home of Krishna, the neighbouring temple towns of Mathura and Vrindavan focus on the traditional rituals of the Holi festival. Celebrations begin a good week in advance with the throwing of flowers, known as Phoolon Wali Holi, followed by a colourful procession in Mathura. On the day of Holi, colours are thrown according to tradition and one of the best spots to watch the spectacle is the Dwarkadheesh Temple.

Photo credit: Nisarg Lakhmani

Udaipur

As the historic capital of the Rajput kingdom, the alluring city of Udaipur is home to a rich heritage and gorgeous imperial architecture. It's also home to the custodians of the Mewar Dynasty; and over Holi, the royal family host public celebrations with an extravagant procession through the city streets and a large function held at the City Palace. It's a chance to witness royal musicians and dancers perform before the traditional sacred fire. The following day the streets of Udaipur explode with activity, colour and happiness.

Delhi

The capital city sure knows how to put on a show when Holi arrives with lively events held across Delhi. One of the biggest events is the popular Holi Moo Festival with multiple stages hosting DJs and international music performers. What was once an underground collaborative between creatives is now a large-scale carnival that draws the crowds for a revelry of music and colour with food stalls filling the hunger gap.

Photo credit: Analucía Rodríguez Dávila

Mumbai

The home of Bollywood and one of India's biggest cities, Mumbai is another place that puts on a show over Holi with rowdy parties and street celebrations. But if you're looking for a more philanthropic way to enjoy Holi then consider joining a guided visit to the Dharavi slums where you can learn all about life in this huge shanty town and celebrate this colourful festival with the residents. The best part about it is that 80% of proceeds go back into the community.

Photo credit: Jean-Marc Gargantiel

Hampi

The ancient Hindu capital of Hampi is one of the few places in southern India where Holi is celebrated with the same level of vigour as the north of the country. As a popular tourist destination, the stalls of Hampi's main bazaar sell mound upon mound of multi-coloured powder when Holi arrives, ready for the main event as locals and travellers head out to play among the crumbling ruins of the once mighty Vijayanagar empire.

Varanasi

As one of India's holiest cities, Varanasi offers a highly spiritual environment in which to honour the religious significance of Holi. The ghats become a paintbox of colour when the playful throwing starts and lead, like a rainbow, to the revered River Ganges. The frivolity is confined to the morning before people then head to their homes while the riverside returns to its solemn duties as the daily cremations are carried out.

Goa

The further south you travel in India, the more mellow the Holi celebrations become; and if you prefer a more laid-back affair with the added bonus of tropical beaches to enjoy then Goa is the perfect spot. There's also the option to join in the spring festival known as Shigmo, which features large-scale enactments of mythological stories and exuberant processions of dance and music troupes. Head to Panjim for the parades while the beaches remain blissfully quiet.

Photo credit: fredericknoronha

Essential tips to help you enjoy Holi

Brimming with vitality, Holi can be nevertheless be a potentially overwhelming event if you go in underprepared. Therefore it's a good idea to make sure you're properly ready before you head out onto the streets to join in the fun. Follow these basics to get the most out of your Holi experience.

• Wear old clothes - The dyes used in the coloured powders leave stains so don't wear anything that you're not prepared to leave behind. Buy a white top and trousers when you get to India - clothing is cheap and the white shows off the colours beautifully.
• Wear closed shoes - The streets throng with people during Holi and it's best to keep your toes covered as it's likely you'll have your feet trodden on during the furore.
• Leave your valuables behind - On the day of Holi you'll want to be moving around as light as possible without the worry of anything getting broken, damaged or lost.
• Cover your camera - There's no doubt you'll want to snap the event but the combination of water and fine powder can cause all sorts of trouble for your camera so wrap it securely in plastic, use a protective filter on the lens or ditch the expensive SLR for a cheap and cheerful disposable camera.
• Protect your hair and eyes - Unless you want to have streaks of pink in your hair for weeks after Holi, consider applying coconut oil to your strands before you join the revelry. This will stop the dyes from staining your hair. Alternatively, wear a hat or tie your hair up in a scarf. And wear sunglasses to keep your eyes covered. It's also recommended to pre-apply an oil-based moisturiser to your skin to try and stop dyes sticking to your skin and paint your nails as a barrier against the dyes. If you're worried about staining your teeth, consider wearing a mouth guard.
• Use naturally dyed colour powder - Shop around for quality powders and stick to red and pink colours as these are more likely to be made from natural dyes. It's much easier to wash off and is non-toxic.
• Save washing until it's over - You may be tempted to wash as soon as you've had enough of the celebration but others may not yet be finished so wait until the very end of the day when you will no longer be out in public and away from anymore colour throwing!