Date: 8 March 2023
Listed below are some exciting must to go places
Holi festival, the apt time to break the ice, renew your relationships, and link yourself to those that you wanted to, with a bit of color, dipped in hues of love and trust. It’s time to show your affection. All the colors that are on you are colors of love. It is one of the main Hindu festivals.
The festival marks the beginning of the blossoming spring and the end of winter. It is also the beginning of harvest festival. It’s the time to come together, meet and laugh and stay close. Though it is the festival of Hindus, it has even become popular among the non-Hindus in many parts of South Asia. Fairs and festivals of India are famous for its cultural, religious and celebration of the change of seasons.
Holi celebration starts on the night before Holi, in which people gather around Holika (bonfire) to pray for peace and happiness and stay away from evils as Holika, who was the sister of king Hiranyakashipu and was killed after getting burnt by the fire. The next is celebrated by playing with colors and water, and on the same evening, people clean themselves up and get ready in sober attires and visit their relatives and friends.
People also drink some traditional juices, and the most famous one is bhang (made purely from cannabis), which is intoxicating. Instead of being celebrated in all parts of India, it can be experienced beautifully at some exceptional places in the country.
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Mathura and Vrindavan
Mathura, the city of Lord Krishna, holy in every aspect, is a beautiful ancient city located in Uttar Pradesh. This place gives you a vibe you can experience nowhere else. It is considered to be the country’s spiritual capital, celebrates Holi with much zest and fervour. The festival is attended by numerous Indians, and many foreigners often visit the city during this time to get colored in the love of the city. You experience the joy of playing colors in a very unique way, getting high with traditional juices, and eat the most delicious sweets.
The celebration begins with Holika Dahan, where a huge bonfire is lit to mark the victory of good over evil. People gather around the fire and make sure it is burnt the whole night, people also prepare some paste called Ubtan, and they throw this paste in the fire, it is believed to keep healthy and disease-free for the year. Holika ash is also considered to be very holy and is put on the forehead. Then comes the scene of the next day, the main day.
The Holi activities take place basically in the outer place. Children get up early as they cannot resist the excitement and prepare their buckets, water balloons, and colors. People gather in public areas where everyone is allowed to color you up whether it be a stranger, a poor guy, a rich guy, a female or anybody, it doesn’t matter. Talking about this, one should also be careful of the drunken men; they can sometimes misbehave, so be cautious.
Everyone happily participates in this festival of colors. Some people also gather in groups and go on playing drums and singing. They create a scene of exciting dance and fun. People throw colour on each other in dry and wet forms, turning the entire city into a giant colored street. Children are set with their water fight with their Pichkarees (Water guns).
You will get tired of running around and saving yourself from getting colored if you really want to avoid getting coloured then step out of your place, but once you are out, no one can save you. A special sweet Gujiya is prepared at home. Phoolon ki Holi at Banke Bihari Temple where Holi is played with flowers; even the widows can enjoy the festival breaking all the social ties.
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Barsana and Nandgaon
Barsana and Nandgaon are the cities that are related to each other because of an old story. The story is about Krishna and Radha. Young Krishna is not happy with his dark skin tone being dark while Radha was a fair-skinned girl. His mother Yoshada suggested to go and color Radha. So Krishna went from Nandgaon, birthplace of Krishna to Barsana, birthplace of Radha to color her and other gopis (girls), but instead of coloring girls he got beaten up with sticks, and that’s how the tradition of Lath Maar Holi started.
The festival begins with ‘ladoo Leela’ on Ashtami at Barsana. This celebration lasts for two days. After which the men from Nandgaon visit Barsana to play Holi with the women of Barsana, they go well prepared with their handmade padded shield to protect themselves from the stick. The women of Barsana welcomed them with sticks and beat them playfully. These sticks are called ‘lathths,’ and therefore, this type of Holi celebration is called ‘Laththmaar Holi.’
On the next day, the women (not actually the women but the men and transgender people dressed up in women attire) of Barsana visit Nandgaon to play Holi with the men of the place. The main event takes place at the Temple of Nandgaon, where they are welcomed with water and color. During the gathering at the Nandgaon Temple, people sit down together and sit, and dance and this meeting are called ‘samaaj.
’ The celebration of Holi at these two places marks the essence of ‘Ras ka bhav’ which means the kind of celebration that elements spiritual rapture. It does involve any sexual harassment; it is just playing together and teasing each other. At this event, the women are believed to be Radha, while the men are considered to be Krishna.
Everything revolves around the love story of Krishna-Radha. If you are a Barsana girl, you might get hit by a gulaal, and if you are a Nandgaon boy then get ready to hit by water jets from some awkward angles. Holi in Barsana is basically dry and is played with ‘Gulaal’ whereas Holi in Nandgaon is wet and dry both as it is played with both water and gulaal. It is a unique experience with the whole atmosphere colored in love and fun.
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Hampi, Karnataka
Hampi is a historically prominent South Indian Village famous for temples. If you go to south India tour then I will recommend you must go to Hampi, this place is awesome to visit it at least once a time in life. It is embedded in the rocky terrains of the Bellary district in Karnataka, which gives it an exotic and serene outlook. If we run through the pages of history, we’ll come across a very important dynasty named Vijaynagar. Hampi was the capital of this renowned dynasty lest very exotic and articulate, culturally, and historically.
During its finest days, Hampi was an affluent town and attracted all types of traders from Portugal and Persia. If it was a tourist destination back then, we could imagine the expanse of beauty it can surprise us with today!
Well, before you decide to go to this place, let us discuss the two very basic questions
How can we reach there?
What is the best time to visit the place? (Only during Holi?!)
While Hampi does not have its own airport, it is well connected by road to three cities: Bangalore, Belgaum and Hubli airports of which are 350kms, 215km and 145kms away. What if you have motion sickness? Well, we still have trains. The nearest Railway station is Hospet Junction which is 13kms away. Don’t let any obstacle stop you from enjoying the pulchritude of this place.
The best period to visit the place is from November to March. If you visit along this timeline, you’re likely to enjoy the niceties of The Hampi Utsav.
So you set your foot in the village with your bags packed, what next? Where would you head to? Stay tuned for the must-visit places in Hampi.
Vijay Vitthala Temple
Hampi has always been synonymous with Temples. Next in the line of temples, we have Vijay Vitthala temple, which is an architectural wonder and came into existence in the 15th Century. Vitthala is another name for Lord Shiva, and this temple dedicates itself to Lord Shiva.
Other important temples in Hampi are Hemakuta Temple Complex, Hanuman Temple, Sasivekalu Ganesh Temple, Lakshmi Narasimha Temple
Virupaksha Temple
Dedicated to the deity of Lord Shiva, Virupaksha is often considered as one of his possible incarnations. It is not today that we’ve realized the importance and the beauty of this temple. This temple has been famous for its infrastructural and cultural soundness since the 7th century. It has gateway tours, and it will leave you agape, that’s for sure. Going to Hampi? Make sure you visit the temple.
Queen’s Bath
If you are a person intrigued by History and want to know about how the kings and queens lived, you must visit Queen’s bath. It was the royal bathing system for the King and his wife. It is another Architectural Wonder with the intricate design. Queen’s bath is surrounded by local shops owned by local traders. Thus, we’d suggest that you keep some cash handy as you ought to get tempted by what the local traders have to offer.
Archaeological Museum
For a place engraved in the pages of history, how would you go without visiting the Archaeological Museum? The museum encapsulates a lot of engaging artifacts with minted coins of that age, paintings, sculptures, pieces of clothing, etc.
These are just a handful of places you ought to visit in Hampi, but Hampi has a lot more in store for you!!
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Udaipur
Udaipur possesses an unmatched sense of the beauty of its own. Encompassing enthralling lakes, it is often known as the City Of Lakes. If you want to live the life of royalty an experience it from eclat to elan, Udaipur is the place for you.
Hot and humid climate dots the place, but if you don’t want to experience the heat, the ideal time to tour in this city would be from the start of December until March-end. The city of lakes has a lot in its treasure for you but before getting into that, let’s know the very basic question that lies within:
How do we reach Udaipur?
Udaipur is a well-connected city having both- Airport and Railway Station. It is connected by road too. Thus, Air, Railway or Road- choose what suits you the best! else you can contact tour agency in India.
With so many options onboard, where to visit?
Palaces in Udaipur
Going to Udaipur and not visiting the palace is like studying law without knowing the country you are a citizen of. In vain and useless! Palaces of Udaipur is the hallmark of its beauty and royalty. It is one of the very major reasons that Udaipur has been a tourist attraction. The list includes City Palace, Monsoon Palace, Jag Mandir, and Lake Palace.
The City of Lakes!
There’s a reason Udaipur is known as the City of Lakes. Would not you want to have a sight of the beauty Udaipur circumvents while sitting and rowing through the dazzling waters on a cruise? You definitely would not want to compromise on this, thus, visiting lakes is an utmost necessity and highly suggested when you go to the city of lakes.
Temples In Udaipur
If you want to embrace yourself in the divinity of God and find spirituality enthralled, Udaipur won’t make you feel lonely here. It has one of the most supremely glorified and architecturally sound temples the country could or can ever foresee.
The list includes Jagdish Temple, Kesariyaji Temple, Neemachmata Temple, and so on. Check out our golden triangle tour with Udaipur and Pushkar.
This is not all !!
Exploring the world of Royalty and Luxury, do you really think it would be complete bereft of gardens and parks? Where would the kings take a stroll and think about the policy decisions they have to frame. Where would the princes play darts?
Therefore, when you visit Udaipur you must not forget to visit beautiful places to visit in Udaipur the gardens and parks that sprawl the city with its beauty. The list includes Gulab Bagh, Pratap Park, and Saheliyon ki Bari. Yet another tourist spot is Moti ki Nagri.
So if you want to revisit the lives of the past and see how kings lived and how royalty existed, Udaipur is the place for you. Often known as the City of Lakes, it is an all-round city having all that you need and all that you tempt for!
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Jaipur
Many places would leave you awestruck and agape, but there is no such place like Jaipur. Jaipur is a city that accustoms itself to the new while also preserving the old. Reminds you of Japan? No,it’s Jaipur!
Holi is a festival of colors, and this city won’t fail to captivate you with the vibrancy and vitality it entails. In this digital era, Jaipur has still kept intact it’s rich heritage and culture, which would definitely want you to visit the city more.
What is it like to be in Jaipur, and how do you reach there?
Being in Jaipur is a bliss-like feeling, and well not every time is ignorance bliss. With its serene environment and natural beauty, it forms for one of the best tourist places to visit in India. The rich city of Jaipur comes with Regal Past. The archaic structures reveal a story of its own. While many feel that this is a place for history buffs, trust me, even a mathematician would fall in love with the beauty of this place and the treasure that this place keeps in for us.
Reaching Jaipur is not a milestone to achieve. It is a well connected and well-routed city. You can choose any way you’d want to- air, road or railways.
While talk is always cheap, here are some of the experiences you would want to have while you visit Jaipur.
Let’s Shop and shop again
Shopping and Jaipur are interdependent on each other. The markets here are one of the best our country can have. It is anything but monotonous and nebulous. With plethora of shops also come a plethora of varieties. From simpleton designs to really intricately ones, this is the place for you to shop. What could be more? Where you would expect the price range to be high, it is really affordable. Quality with Quantity in fewer bucks? Yes, a dream come true. So why wait?
Local handicrafts are really popular in the market. Artisans and merchants trade their own making thus giving you a taste of the ethnic and traditional Jaipur and also you can visit the best tourist attractions of Jaipur, one you’d not want to miss out on!
The beauty also lies in the way these shops are located within the palace giving it an archaic look.
Amer Fort
This fort gets a little far off from the city. It is an 11 km drive for the city. But don’t let the distance fool you as you’ll be missing out on one of the most beautiful and amazing experiences if you don’t visit this fort. It is structurally supreme and intricately designed.
With look like that of a castle, it is housed at the top of the hill. Take a moment and stare at this world-class infrastructure. And also with you can check our Rajasthan travel guide blog that shows off beautiful glimpses of whole Rajasthan. If you want to really visit Rajasthan and seeing its culture, nature and forts, etc then you must check this blog otherwise you lost the informative information.
Raj Mandir Cinema
While it would sound absolutely weird to watch a movie in the cinema hall of Jaipur, which is not even close to being the City Of Cinema like Mumbai, there is a huge buzz about this.
What makes this place so intriguing that even foreigners travel miles just to watch a movie here? It is perhaps the regal sound infrastructure that characterizes this cinema. It’s more like a palace, thus watching a movie here has a feeling of its own. You feel like a kind owning the world of cinema rather than just being a viewer.
So even if it’s not Mumbai, you ought to watch a movie here. Don’t miss it for free.
Birla Mandir
Missing the spiritual and the traditional vibe of this city? Even if you’re an agnostic or an atheist, you can still visit the Birla Mandir. Unlike other famous temples of Rajasthan, the built of this temple is entirely different and modern.
Alongside the path, you’d find many vendors selling flowers, petals, and like. On the same road, you will also find many other temples dotting the road. So, if you want to nurture the spirituality and awaken the sense of religiousness, visit this area in toto.
World Trade Park
Even if you’re not a shopaholic, you can take out time to visit the “Best Mall of the Year” and appreciate the finesse with which it is built and constructed. It is the second-largest mall in India and was inaugurated by Shahrukh khan.
It features a display system where 24 projectors display a single picture on the ceiling. Interesting coupled with beautiful, is not it?
Bhangarh Fort
As scary as it sounds, it also has a lot of rumors associated with it. Many say that the fort is haunted by Rani Ratnawati, but the more believable version of the story is that a father built it for his son. The architectural finesse is one of it’s kind, and the fort is associated with a lot of stories.
It is suggested not to visit the fort at night since it becomes dangerously scary. However, in the day time, it’s not just safe but also exciting. Discover the facts and find the truth for yourself.
The festival of Holi is laid great patronage by the Regal and culturally-preserved state of Rajasthan with Jaipur and Udaipur hitting the list. Jaipur also celebrates the Elephant Festival in Holi, where a massive animal parade marks the beginning of the game. Animals are beautifully adorned with jewels and clothing which makes it more exciting.
Thus, in all these were some of the places you could pay a visit to in order to make your Holi more vibrant and colorful. If you cannot visit all, visit one because One Tourist, One Place, One Guide, and One Festival can definitely bring a change you always wanted to have.
Stay tuned and a very happy holi in advance!
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