Among the festivals of India, Holi is the only festival which celebrates love and harmony, friendship and brotherhood with various colors. The celebration of Holi is a common thread of unity in the socio-cultural diversity of India. The festival of colors is celebrated in different ways but with equal enthusiasm across the country, which will leave you surprised. Somewhere it is traditional, while somewhere it is trendy. Somewhere it is a color chaos, while somewhere it is a colorful extravaganza. Somewhere Holi is a genuine celebration of age-old folk cultures, whereas somewhere it is a sinful frenzy of urbanites. You can soak in flamboyance of colors, no matter which part of India you visit this time.

We at Indian Eagle handpicked five places from across India and explored what makes them the best destinations for fun-filled, spectacular Holi celebrations.

Shantiniketan

Holi is a cultural festival celebrated with an aura of sophistication in Rabindranath Tagore’s Shantiniketan, an international seat of learning and literature in Bengal. Though Holi is known as Dol Yatra all over the state, the Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore introduced it as Vasanta Utsav attributing a cultural dimension to it. Dressed in shades of yellow, orange and green, boys and girls choreograph the celebration in rhythmic fashions – singing and dancing. In Shantiniketan, the atmosphere of the day is a miasma of colorfulness and literary fervor as the students of Vishva Bharati University celebrate the festival through the poems and songs, composed by the Bard of Bengal himself.

Shantiniketan, which is also famous for its age-old Pous Mela, is a nearly 4-hour train journey or road trip from Kolkata. Know how to save big on flights to Kolkata, India.  

Delhi

In Delhi, the cosmopolitan ways of Holi celebration are unique to the capital’s multicultural milieu. Holi celebration is not less musical and crazy than a DJ party with foot-tapping numbers from Bollywood movies. The Delhites who are Page 3 celebrities throw parties in resorts and farm houses. The temperature of the atmosphere soars so high that they cool off themselves with sips of bhang lassi and thandai. Delhi is also famous for the Holi Cow Festival, an organized event of music and madness. Do watch the video of the song, “Balam pitchkari jo tune mujhe mari” from the music album of the movie Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani to get a hang of how madly Delhites celebrate the festival of colors.

Delhi has global air connectivity. Especially, Air India operates several nonstop flights to Delhi IGI Airport from USA, UK and other parts of the world.  

Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad is the best place to celebrate this spring festival in Gujarat. Be the festival Holi or Navratri, Gujarati celebrates it traditionally. Holi is a cultural extravaganza in the capital of Gujarat. The celebration begins with the breaking of earthen pots of buttermilk hung from a rope in the streets after the joyous procession of menfolk through lanes and alleys comes to an end. This ceremony is observed in honor of Lord Krishna who used to steal the pots of butter and buttermilk from Gopis’ houses. In some parts of the city, Gujarati belles wearing ghagra with mirror work and the men wearing colorful turbans play dandiya to spread euphoria all around. Haryana celebrates Holi in the same fashion.

Ahmedabad, India’s first UNESCO World heritage city is well-connected with the rest of India. Cheap airfare deals for flights to Ahmedabad from USA will leave you amazed. 

Mathura & Vrindavan

Mathura and Vrindavan are the best places to celebrate Holi in North India. These two destinations for pilgrims and tourists are mythically associated with the legends of Krishnaleela or Rasleela. It is said that the zest the Brajwasis (people of Vrindavan) play Holi with is not felt in the rest of India during the festival. Their festive spirit is so high that the celebration begins 40 days prior to the day of Holi. Boys are dressed like Krishna, and girls dress themselves like Gopis (female admirers of Krishna). The Lathmar Holi of Barsana, the village of Sri Radha, is the main attraction. The boys of Vrindavan play colors with the girls of Barsana in a flirtatious manner. They drench each other with colored water and sprinkle gulal in the air.

You can reach Mathura and Vrindavan by road from New Delhi Airport in nearly 3 hours. Check the interesting facts of the world’s tallest temple, Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir which is currently under construction in Mathura for a whopping cost of INR 700 crores (USD 102 million).  

Manipur

The way Manipur celebrates the Holi Festival is culturally unique, Northeast India. The festivity begins on the Full Moon day of Phalguna and spans for six days. The age-old Yaosang Festival of the state was merged with Holi celebration during the rise of Vaishnavism. The tradition of celebrating Holi through cultural performances including folk dance forms and songs has been replaced with the trend – music band culture. Setting fire to a thatched hut of hay and twigs marks the beginning of the festivity. The boys and girls play gulal, the following day. The sight of devotees wearing white & yellow turbans, dancing in front of the Krishna temple and offering gulal to the obedience of the Lord is a wonderful spectacle to witness. The celebration ends with a religious procession to the capital city, Imphal.

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Today is International Dance Day; the day to celebrate dance as a manifestation of creativity and an art of imagination across the world. India too celebrates its classical dance culture, a priceless heritage of the ancient times. The Indian classical dance forms have made it to international heights from the four walls of temples and royal courts. A cultural legacy for generations, the classical dance heritage of India is worth a tribute today. Indian Eagle briefs the classical dances to celebrate International Dance Day.

Bharatanatyam

One of the most celebrated classical dance forms of India, Bharatanatyam is unique to the Dravidian culture of South India. Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, the South Indian states, have been basking in the glory of Bharatanatyam for generations. The origin of this classical dance is associated with the 2000-year old Devdasi tradition in the temples of South India. Bharatanatyam is mythically believed to be introduced by Lord Brahma and documented by Sage Bharata in the Natya Shastra, a Sanskrit text. Devdasis or temple dancers who were dedicated in service to the presiding deities used to perform Bharatanatyam in temples. Mridangam, Veena, Flute, Violin and Talam are some of the instruments used in this dance performance.

Kathak

If Bharatanatyam is the mainstay of South Indian culture, Kathak is intermingled with the culture of North India. The recitation of mythological tales in rhythm with music and dance in ancient India is believed to be the origin of Kathak. Therefore, this classical dance form is associated with the recital art of storytelling. In the bygone days, kathakars or bards or poets used to depict mythological stories from the scriptures through facial expressions and hand gestures in villages as well as temples. It became sophisticated and popular in the Mughal regime. Kathak has been patronized in Banaras, Lucknow and Jaipur. The story of Radha and Krishna is the predominant theme of Kathak. Such instruments as Tabla, Pakwaj, Harmonium, Sarengi and Talam are used in Kathak performances.

Kathakali

Kerala has its own share of the Indian cultural heritage and that is for Kathakali, a classical dance form. Heavy makeup and colorful costume are the most amazing facets of Kathakali. The painted face and colorful appearance of Kathakali dancers are identified with the culture of Kerala. A most sophisticated form of imagination, Kathakali dance is a highly creative medium to depict the stories of the Hindu epics and mythologies. As it is a group performance, each dancer wears a different makeup as per the role or character. The dancer playing a noble hero or god wears green makeup on the face, while the dance playing a demon smears his face in green with red marks on the cheeks. It has become a popular dance drama over the years. Chenda, Cymbals, and Maddalam are the instruments used in Kathakali shows.

Kuchipudi

Kuchipudi has risen to international fame from a village in the South Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. This classical dance of India owes its origin to the Telugu Brahmins in Kuchelapuram Village, who were known for their expertise in staging the mythological legends through dance, drama and music. Kuchipudi has evolved from the Bhagavatmela tradition and differed from other Indian classical dance forms by the use of speech. The Kuchipudi dance moves are faster than those of any other classical dance. It is performed to both the Carnatic music and the Hindustani Music. There are a few variations of Kuchipudi.

Manipuri

Manipuri, a distinguished classical dance heritage of northeast India, deserves a mention here. Woven into the life and culture of Manipur, a northeastern state amidst hills, Manipuri is known for its poetic charm, colorful costumes and delicate moves. Since the time when the gods, as it is believed, dried a lake in the countryside of Manipur to make space for dance, this classical dance has been part of the socio-religious culture of the state. Ras Leela and Sankirtana are the devotional themes of Manipuri dance. The Manipuri dancers wear colorfully embroidered skirts with transparent embellished veil.

Odissi

One of the classical dance forms of ancient India, Odissi is the cultural pride of the state Orissa or Odisha. Like other forms of Indian culture, Odissi has its own story of survival. It has evolved through modifications over years. Nritya and Abhinaya are two most interesting highlights of Odissi. In Nritya, the dancers make delicate body movements to create ornamental moves. In Abhinaya, the dancers make myriad facial expressions to interpret a religious story or mythical legend. Odissi is performed in a multiple different styles including tribhangi.

Indian Eagle shares with NRIs their love and respect for the culture of India. That is why IndianEagle.com offers the cheapest air tickets to them.

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Most winter festivals of India are held in the month of December. The last month of the year is full of festivity in each state of the country. Pleasant weather, engaging festivity and joyous ambience make December an ideal time to fly to India. Indian Eagle has listed the most celebrated winter festivals of India below.

Hornbill Festival, Nagaland

Nagaland celebrates Hornbill Festival, one of the winter festivals of India, in the month of December. Agriculture being the chief means of sustenance for over 60% of the tribal population in Nagaland, the festivals are devoted to agriculture in this Indian state. Held in the first week of December, Hornbill Festival celebration is a cultural statement made by the tribes of Nagaland. Observed through folk dance and music performances, the fest gives a fair understanding of the land’s traditional custom and culture, art and craft. The capital city Kohima is the venue of Hornbill Festival.

Chumpha Festival, Manipur

The state of Manipur celebrates Chumpha Festival to herald the season of harvest in winter. Scheduled to continue from December 10 to 16, the festival is a grand cultural celebration by the Tanghul Nagas of Manipur. They spring into dance and music on the last three days of the festivity which culminates in a spectacular procession. The tribal culture of Manipur manifests itself through the celebration highlighted through the active participation of the women of the state.

Winter Festival, Rajasthan

Rajasthan celebrates Winter Festival at Mount Abu, the only hill station on the highest peak in the range of Aravali Mountains. With lakhs of foreign tourist arrivals apart from the domestic travelers, the Mount Abu Winter Festival has touched the heights of an international event. The three-day long celebration thrives on super hospitality, diverse culture, green beauty, hilly landscape and scenic location of Mouth Abu, one of the best tourist attractions in Rajasthan. The biggest draw of the festivity is the spectacular procession with folk dance and music performances.

Tansen Samaroh, Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh celebrates Tansen Sangeet Samaroh, a famous music festival, in winter. The Tansen Tomb in Gwalior is the venue of the festival which stages both vocal and instrumental performances by artists from all over the country. The festival is a tribute to the glory of Tansen, a great musician in the court of Akbar, a Mughal emperor. A legendary figure of the Hindustani Classical Music, Tansen had a musical voice which could ignite lamps, fascinate animals and make clouds shower spells of rain. Held on December 7 in the memory of this music maestro, the sangeet samaroh is an audio and visual extravaganza.

Lumbini Festival, Andhra Pradesh

Lumbini Festival is held to celebrate the age-old heritage of Buddhism in the state of Andhra Pradesh during winter. The venue of the festival is the Nagarjunasagar Dam, a tourist destination at a short drive from Hyderabad. It continues for three days in the third week of December and witnesses a huge gathering of Buddhist monks as well as pilgrims. The importance of Lumbini Festival is traced back to the times when Buddhism was the most popular festival 2,000 years ago. The fest highlights the cultural significance of Buddhism through the noble teachings of Lord Buddha.

Tarpa Festival, Dadra and Nagar Haveli

Tarpa Festival in Dadra & Nagar Haveli is named after Tarpa dance, a folk culture of the Varli, Kokna and Koli tribes. The tribes of this region are easily identifiable by means of their distinct appearance, apparels, dance forms and musical instruments. Tarpa Festival is celebrated through swimming competition, boat racing, rangoli drawing and tattoo painting, with lots of enthusiasm. The main attraction of the festivity is Tarpa Dance, performed by both men and women folks in a circle which represents their unity and harmony. It is held on December 26, every year.

Vaikathashtami Festival, Kerala

Vaikathashtami Festival is a religious occasion when Lord Shiva is worshipped in the form of Shivlinga, in Kerala. The venue of the celebration is the Vaikom Mahadeva Temple, one of the most popular temples in the state of Kerala. Lord Shiva is ceremoniously worshipped in three different forms – Dakshinamoorti in the morning, Kiratamurti at noon, and Sambhashivan in the evening. Several legends from the Indian mythology are associated with the temple and the festival. Though the festivity continues for as many as 12 days, the celebration on the Ashtami or eighth day is important in terms of religiosity. This year, the Ashtami celebration falls on December 26.

The festivals of India are the best times to explore the regional cultures, customs and traditions of the country. IndianEagle.com offers the lowest airfare to let you get the best of your trip to India during winter.

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