Holi 2024: The vibrant festival of Holi is just around the corner and we can’t wait to celebrate the festival of colours. It is observed on the full moon day of the Hindu month of Phalguna, which usually falls in February or March. This year it will be celebrated with great pomp and enthusiasm across India on Monday, March 25. This colourful festival is essentially an opportunity to spread joy, delight and happiness and to welcome the arrival of spring. Holi is a celebration of joy, love and human unity, as well as the triumph of good over evil, symbolised by the vibrant hues of coloured powders and water.

India is a multicultural country and the many states have their own traditions for celebrating Holi. The following is a list of some of the ways in which different regions of the country celebrate the festival of colours. (Also read: Holi 2024: Is the Hindu festival on March 24 or March 25? Know correct date, significance, timing, history and more )

How Holi is celebrated in different parts of India

1. Lathmar Holi in Uttar Pradesh

In northern India, especially in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi, Holi is a highly observed festival. People dance, sing and throw coloured powder at each other as they gather around bonfires. The festival symbolises the victory of good over evil and marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring.

2. Meduru Holi in Andhra Pradesh

In the southern state of Andhra Pradesh, Holi is celebrated as ‘Meduru Holi’. People take part in processions in which coloured powder is thrown at each other, along with traditional music and dance. Another notable custom is the singing of devotional hymns to Lord Krishna.

3. Kumaoni Holi in Uttarakhand

Kumaoni Holi is celebrated in a number of places in the Uttarakhand region around Kumaon. This festival, which is more of a musical affair than a colour-themed celebration as in other states, heralds the start of the sowing season for the farming community. They light the Holika pyre, often called ‘cheer’, a blaze with a green paiya branch in the centre.

4. Rang Panchami in Maharashtra

In the western Indian state of Maharashtra, Holi is celebrated as ‘Rang Panchami’. On this day, people play with coloured powders, sing and dance to the rhythm of dhols, while indulging in traditional sweets and savoury foods. Several parts of the state also witness the special custom of people singing and playing musical instruments on the streets.

5. Manjal Kuli in Kerala

People visit temples and celebrate with folk songs and watercolours during this peaceful festival celebrated by the Konkani and Kudumbi communities. These colours are made with turmeric.

6. Royal Holi in Udaipur

As the name suggests, Udaipur throws a fantastic Holi celebration. In the city that used to be under their control, the Mewar royal family continues to observe the traditional celebrations of the dynasty. On the eve of Holi, the current administrator lights a bonfire and destroys the effigy of Holika. This is followed by a magnificent horse procession with the royal band. It’s truly a spectacle!

7. Basant Utsav and Dol Jatra in Bengal

In Bengal, Basant Utsav is, as the name suggests, a celebration of the arrival of spring. A spectacular event is planned in Shantiniketan. A part of the main Holi celebrations is the Dol Jatra. Idols of Radha and Krishna are paraded through the streets of Purnima. Men sprinkle water and colours during the parade to add to the joy.