Lathmar Holi (Holi of sticks) is a

Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...

festival celebrated in the twin towns of

Barsana Barsana is a historical town and ''nagar panchayat'' in the Mathura district of the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. The town holds cultural and religious significance as the birthplace of Hindu goddess Radha, the chief consort of Krishna. Barsa ...

and Nandgaon, also known as the towns of

Radha Radha (, ), also called Radhika, is a Hindu goddess and the chief consort of the god Krishna. She is the goddess of love, tenderness, compassion, and devotion. In scriptures, Radha is mentioned as the avatar of Lakshmi and also as the Prak� ...

and

Krishna Krishna (; Sanskrit language, Sanskrit: कृष्ण, ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme God (Hinduism), Supreme God in his own right. He is the god of protection, c ...

respectively. Every year, during the period of

Holi Holi () is a major Hindu festival celebrated as the Festival of Colours, Love and Spring.The New Oxford Dictionary of English (1998) p. 874 "Holi /'həʊli:/ noun a Hindu spring festival ...".Yudit Greenberg, Encyclopedia of Love in World ...

, thousands of devotees and tourists visit these towns to celebrate the festival. The festivities usually last for more than a week and ends on Rang Panchami.

Origins

Associated with legend that is linked to the divine couple

Radha Krishna Radha-Krishna (IAST , ) is the combined form of the Hindu god Krishna with his chief consort and ''shakti'' Radha. They are regarded as the feminine as well as the masculine realities of God and gender in Hinduism, God, in several Krishnaism, Kr ...

, the festival seeks to recreate it. According to the legend, Lord Krishna who was resident of Nandgaon and considered as the son-in-law of

Vrishabhanu Vrishabhanu (; IAST: ), also spelled as Brushabhanu, is a Yadava chieftain featured in Hindu scriptures. He is described as the father of the goddess Radha, who is the chief consort of god Krishna and also regarded as the incarnation of the go ...

wanted to spray the colors on his beloved Radha and her friends. But, as Krishna and his friends entered

, they were playfully greeted with the sticks by Radha and her friends who drove them out of Barsana. Following the same trend, every year on the occasion of Holi, the men of Nandagaon who are treated as sons-in-law of Barsana visit Barsana and are greeted by women with colors and sticks (aka ''lathi''). The celebration is enacted in perfect good humor by both the sides, men of Nandgaon and women of Barsana.

Gallery

Samaj gathering during Lathmar hoil.jpg, Color Drenched people in Krishna Temple Lathmar Women.jpg, Women waiting for men during lathmar Latmar women in action in Barsana.jpg, Women using lathis Spherical Colors.jpg, Image depicting celebration of color in Barasana Barsana Holi Festival.jpg, Holi at Radha Rani Temple, Barsana

References

External links

Lord Krishna's land rocks to beats of Holi

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lathmar Holi Religious festivals in India Festivals in Uttar Pradesh Tourist attractions in Mathura district Holi Mathura district Spring traditions Spring festivals in India

Origins

Gallery

See also

References

External links