India's Festival of Colours is a joyful celebration of love and life. And above all, the triumph of good over evil.
Celebrated by millions of people around the world, this unique festival includes some brilliant and bizarre traditions.
Such as throwing coloured powder at one another until you're as rainbowy as a bag of Skittles.
Adobe Free Stock / danielszura
While many countries host incredible Holi experiences, there's one that truly knows how to throw a Holi party. The place where it all started over a thousand years ago - India.
Celebrating Holi in India is like celebrating Christmas in Lapland or St Patrick's Day in Dublin.
It's as big as you can go, so making it count is top-priority.
Where to Celebrate Holi in India
Setting your sights on India as your holi hotspot needs some planning. To state the obvious, the place is huge.
Maybe you're seeking a spiritual experience, a cultural exploration, or simply a chance to get covered in colours.
Either way, here's where to celebrate Holi in India.
Adobe Free Stock / spyrakot
Which is the Best City to Celebrate Holi in India?
Mathura and Vrindavan
When it comes to the best city to celebrate Holi in India, Mathura and Vrindavan are great starting points.
As Krishna's birthplace, these twin cities offer the most immersive Holi experience.
Temple in Mathura / Adobe Free Stock / saiko3p
Celebrations begin 40 days before the main festival with Phoolon Wali Holi (Flower Holi) at the Banke Bihari Temple.
Here, priests shower devotees with flower petals instead of coloured powder.
Where to go: Banke Bihari Temple is famous for its evening celebrations where colours mix with devotional songs.
And if you're an early riser, Dwarkadhish Temple hosts morning celebrations with traditional dhol players.
The Widow's Holi at Vrindavan's Gopinath Temple has become a powerful symbol of changing times.
Adobe Free Stock / Niks Ads
Widows were traditionally excluded from festivities. But now they join in the celebrations, breaking centuries of social restrictions.
Top tip: Don't miss the Lathmar Holi in Barsana, where women playfully beat men with sticks.
Jaipur
The Pink City's royal heritage adds grandeur to Holi celebrations.
Adobe Free Stock / atosan
Its festival begins with the Holika Dahan ceremony at the City Palace. Here the Maharaja hosts a grand reception for residents and visitors.
Look out for:
- The Elephant Festival, featuring painted elephants in ceremonial regalia.
- Traditional Rajasthani folk performances like Ghoomar dance.
- Royal processions through the old city.
- Special performances at the facade of the former Palace of the Winds, Hawa Mahal.
Jaipur Elephant Festival / Adobe Free Stock / SIRIUS*
Top tip: The City Palace sometimes hosts a royal Holi celebration that's open to the public. Book tickets well in advance, as these events sell out quickly and offer a unique glimpse into royal traditions.
Delhi
India's capital offers perhaps the most diverse range of Holi experiences.
Think traditional neighbourhood celebrations and organised events tailored towards tourists and expats.
Adobe Free Stock / muratart
Where to go: Old Delhi's neighbourhoods host traditional celebrations where you can get a real feel for authentic Holi celebrations.
The Holi Moo Festival is a popular ticketed event. It features live music, organic colours and food stalls in a more controlled environment.
Top tip: Delhi's street food game peaks during Holi. Get your hands on the sweet dumplings gujiya and a spiced milk drink called thandai. Just ask if the thandai has bhang, essentially cannabis, in it before you neck three in a row.
Adobe Free Stock / Yulia Furman
Mumbai
Mumbai's Holi celebrations are loud, proud and full-on - just like the city itself.
So if you haven't quite decided where to celebrate Holi in India yet, but know you want to be somewhere lively, Mumbai is the place to be.
The city goes big, with Holi parties often featuring celebrity DJs, beachfront colour fights and plenty of festival food.
Adobe Free Stock / muratart
Where to go: Juhu Beach turns into Holi central from dawn. Imagine a beach rave where the dress code is 'covered in paint'.
Head to Cross Maidan or Shivaji Park for huge public paint battles that welcome everyone.
For a slightly more controlled bash, check out the hotel parties in Bandra or the beach clubs in Juhu. They host day-long Holi raves with DJs spinning Bollywood remixes.
Image owned by author, Denise Tench
Top tip: Start early. Mumbai gets extremely hot by midday. Many bars and clubs throw after-Holi parties where you can rock up still sporting your new rainbow look.
Udaipur
Picture playing with colours with a palace-dotted lake as your backdrop. That's Udaipur Holi for you.
Where to go: Start with Holika Dahan at City Palace the evening before Holi. The next day, the areas around Lake Pichola explode with colours, music and dancing.
City Palace, Udaipur / Adobe Free Stock / Marek Poplawski
Jagdish Temple in the old city becomes a hub for locals and tourists alike. The steps leading up to it turn into a rainbow waterfall of people.
Top tip: Book a hotel with a rooftop lake view for the night before Holi. Watching hundreds of bonfires light up across the city is pure magic.
Plus, you'll have a safe spot to retreat to when you need a breather from the madness below.
Bikaner, Rajasthan
Bikaner likes to involve camels in its Holi celebrations, which makes for a truly unique experience.
Where to go: The old walled city gets crazy during Holi, with narrow lanes turning into colour ambush zones.
One minute you're admiring ancient architecture, the next you're purple from head to toe.
Adobe Free Stock / Roop Dey
Top tip: Try the spicy snack Bikaneri bhujia and local sweets that tend to only come out during festivals.
Goa
Imagine the usual Holi frenetic activity. Then add sunset drum circles, fire dancers and DJs spinning tracks as the waves crash behind them. Bliss.
Image owned by author, Denise Tench
Where to go: Arambol and Anjuna beaches host the rowdiest celebrations, with parties kicking off at sunrise and somehow still going at sunset.
DJs set up right on the sand and the ocean becomes a wash-off zone all day. Palolem beach offers a slightly calmer vibe if you want more of a chilled-out Holi.
Top tip: Goa's Holi involves plenty of water play. So waterproof your treasured possessions or leave them in your beach hut.
Rishikesh
Rishikesh gives Holi with a side of yoga and spirituality - but don't assume that means it's tame.
Where to go: The areas around Laxman Jhula and Ram Jhula bridges turn into colour chaos zones.
Adobe Free Stock / Alexandra Lande - Statue of Lord Vishnu and Lakshmi at the Ganga river bank in Rishkesh
Ashrams like Parmarth Niketan host more organised events that start with chanting and end with you looking like you fell into a paint factory.
After getting coated in colours, join the crowds washing off in the Ganges.
Top tip: Stay for the evening Ganga Aarti ceremony at Parmarth Niketan after Holi. Watching the river worship with traces of colour still on your skin hits different.
Stay Connected on Your Indian Adventure
Image by atish lowanshi from Pixabay
Losing your mates in a sea of multicoloured shirts is a proper Holi nightmare. You need to stay online and connected - even when you're covered in colours.
Choosing an eSIM for India means you can leave behind the hassle of finding local SIM cards.
Visit the Airalo store here, choose your data package, install and go - happy Holi indeed.
