The legend of Radha Krishna is the most popular associated with Holi. Shri Krishna playing Holi on the banks of the river Yamuna with Radha and other gopis is also the most popular reason for celebrating Holi. It is believed that when Lord Krishna was young, he often complained to Mother Yashoda about his dark complexion and wondered why Radha was so fair. One day, his mother playfully suggested that he can smear colour on Radha’s face and change her complexion to any colour he wanted. Over the years, Krishna from his village Nandgaon used to go to Barsana, Radha’s village, to color Radha and other Gopis. They also used to playfully beat him with sticks. And hence the tradition evolved. Holi in Braj is especially famous. Braj is a historical region which covers the area of Mathura, Vrindavan and some nearby areas. Mathura Is the birth-place of Lord Krishna and Vrindavan is the place where he grew up in his childhood. Barsana Holi celebrations start about a week before the actual date of Holi. Barsana is the village of Radha. It is famous for its lathmar Holi in which women beat men playfully with sticks. Celebrations in Barsana is followed up by similar celebrations in Nandgaon, Krishna’s village, on the very next day. The Banke-Bihari Temple in Vrindavan hosts a week long Holi celebrations. During these days, Bihariji, Krishna’s another name, is dressed up in white coloured clothes and it is brought closer to his devotees to play holi. Vrindavan Holi is played with coloured water and gulal, a form of colour made using organic substances like flowers and kesar. priests sprinkle colors on everyone using buckets, water guns, etc. The holy city of Vrindavan, is known as the City of Widows because it has given so many women shelter. And in recent years, widows have found a bit of color and joy here as well. The country's millions of observant Hindu widows are expected to live out their days in quiet worship, dressed only in white. They are typically barred from all religious festivities because their very presence is considered inauspicious. Widows from Vrindavan and Varanasi have now started to play Holi. The fact that they didn’t play Holi for 400 years because it was taboo! ๐๐๐บ๐๐ฅ Jai Jai Shri Radhe ~ Hari Om Tat Sat Namah Shivaya !๐๐ป๐๐ป
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