Holi - Lathmaar Celebrations

Due to the diversity in its regional cultures, Holi celebrations are interpreted differently across the country. Holi is traditionally celebrated in all its splendour in northern, western and eastern parts of India. Hindus in and from South India pray to Lord Krishna in his infant form, or Bal Krishna, while North Indian HIndus are inclined to worship him in his teenage or adult avatar. This marks a tremendous difference in the way devotees celebrate festivals dedicated to Lord Krishna. Since the legend around Holi and Krishna involved Lord Krishna as a teenager, the festival is inclined to be a North Indian custom. Although Hindus in southern Indian states do mark the festival with a small puja for Lord Krishna.

In West Bengal, Holi is celebrated by the name of ‘Basant Utsav’ or Spring Festival, a tradition initiated by the Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore in Shantiniketan. On the morning of Holi, locally called ‘Dol Purnima’, people parade a palanquin enshrining the statues of Radha and Krishna across town. The streets are filled with dance and song, lost in celebration.

In the village of Barsana in Uttar Pradesh, Holi is celebrated with tremendous vigour as it is considered to be the birthplace of Radha. Barsana has a peculiar tradition of men from the village of Nandgaon, considered to be the birthplace of Krishna, coming to Barsana to play Holi with its women. They’re, however, greeted with sticks by the women. According to tradition, men are not allowed to retaliate to being beaten up with sticks. The festival gets a particular name from this tradition here, called ‘Lathmaar Holi’ or the Holi played by hitting with sticks. The next day, this celebration takes place between the men of Barsana and the women of Nandgaon. Although it appears to be violent on the surface, this style of Holi is celebrated in playful candour.

In Gujarat, this celebrations takes a different shape. In imitation of Lord Krishna’s way of life from stories found in the Indian mythology, an earthen pot of curd is placed high up on rope in different localities. A human pyramid is formed to break the pot. The onlookers throw buckets of coloured water on participants in the pyramid.

In Maharashtra, Holi is celebrated differently. Smearing of colours does not take place on the full moon day in Maharashtra. Instead, it celebrated five days after full moon day. Hence, it goes by the name of Rangpachami, where rang means ‘colour’ and panchami stands for ‘fifth day’.