Holi 2020: THESE are the best places to celebrate Holi with ultimate zeal

Holi, the festival of colours, will be celebrated on March 10, 2020. This is one of the grandest festivals in India that is cherished with bright colours, music and dance, foods and drinks etc. This festival is celebrated with great fervour in different regions of the country with their own traditional styles. Some parts play with colours, some with flowers, some with physical agility and some with cultural programmes.

In some parts, people celebrate Holika bonfire one day before Holi to ward off the evil and welcome positivity. Holika was the sister of Hiranyakashipu, the demon king, who got the boon that no man or animal could kill him. He punished his son Prahlada for worshipping Lord Vishnu and not him as the god. So, Holika saved him from the demon king.

So, before you plan something in Holi, check out the best places to celebrate Holi with ultimate zeal.

Lathmar Holi at Barsana Nandgaon
Goddess Radha was born in Barsana and Lord Krishna in Nandgaon. Lathmar Holi in Barsana and Nandgao is celebrated for two days. The first day, men from Nandgaon come to Barsana to tease the women and so they beat the boys with sticks. The boys can protect themselves with a shield. Next day, girls of Barsana go to Nandgaon to play Holi with the boys. This Lathmat celebration takes place in Ladliji Temple dedicated to Shri Radha Rani.

Braj Ki Holi
Braj is believed to be the place where Radha and Krishna spent their childhood. Braj, the region around Mathura and Vrindavan, is one of the most popular places in India to play Holi. This region celebrates Holi for two days. On the first day, they throw flowers to each other chanting Radhe Radhe. The next day, they play with colours inside the temple with the god.

Basanta Utsav in Shantiniketan
Shantiniketan in Bibhum District of WestBengal is popular for celebrating Basanta Utsav or the Spring Festival. The celebration of this festival was first started by the Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore at his Vishva Bharati University in Shantiniketan. This festival is celebrated one day before Holi, which is the Dol Yatra festival of West Bengal. Students of the university participate in cultural programmes associated with Tagore songs and poems.

Folk Holi in Purulia
It's a three-day Basanta Utsav Folk Festival in Purulia District of West Bengal. You can sing and play Holi with the local people enjoying the unique folk art of the region. The remarkable folk dances of this region are Chau Dance, Darbari Jhumur, Natua Dance, and folk songs of Baul musicians.

Kumaon Ki Holi in Kumaon Region
Kumaon Holi is three types- Baithaki Holi, Khadi Holi, and Mahila Holi. In the first type of Holi, people sing classical ragas to appease Lord Krishna. Mahila Holi is the gathering of women and Khadi Holi is celebrated by town people singing together.

Warrior Holi in Punjab
Warrior Holi is the Sikh way to celebrate Holi at Anandpur Sahib in Punjab. An annual fair is arranged here that dates back to 1701. It was first organised by Sikh Guru Gobind Singh for the celebration of Holi. Instead of colours, here this festival is celebrated with wrestling, martial arts, mock sword fights, acrobatic military exercises and turban tying.