Tuesday, March 26, 2013

LATTHMAR HOLI - Mathura



During spring, Holi, the festival of colors is celebrated all over India. Holi is a time to make merry. People smear each other with colored powdered and water colors. Singing and dancing add to the gaiety of the occasion. The Holi celebrations in Mathura, the birthplace of Lord Krishna is spectacular. The Rang Gulal Festival is celebrated for a week with exuberant processions, songs and music. Nevertheless the feature that makes it distinct is the fam...ous 'Latthmar Holi' of Barsana and Nandgaon.

Tradition has it that Krishna used to come to Barsana to play Holi with Radha along with his friends. The Gopis after merriment chased away the boys by beating them with "lathis". So it came to be known as the 'Latthmar Holi'. Even today women folk here beat the men with 'Lathis' or Bamboo poles while showering colored water on them with great rejoice and merriment. The playful teasing of the Gopis is enacted by groups of men and women through special Holi songs and dances, called Rasiya..

Source : Bharatonline.com