During
spring, Holi, the festival of colors is celebrated all over India. Holi
is a time to make merry. People smear each other with colored powdered
and water colors. Singing and dancing add to the gaiety of the occasion.
The Holi celebrations in Mathura, the birthplace of Lord Krishna is
spectacular. The Rang Gulal Festival is celebrated for a week with
exuberant processions, songs and music. Nevertheless the feature that
makes it distinct is the famous 'Latthmar Holi' of Barsana and Nandgaon. Tradition has it that Krishna used to come to Barsana to play Holi with Radha along with his friends. The Gopis after merriment chased away the boys by beating them with "lathis". So it came to be known as the 'Latthmar Holi'. Even today women folk here beat the men with 'Lathis' or Bamboo poles while showering colored water on them with great rejoice and merriment. The playful teasing of the Gopis is enacted by groups of men and women through special Holi songs and dances, called Rasiya.
