Mathura's Barsana Bursts Into Colours As Men And Women Celebrate Lathmar Holi - Watch Videos

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Holi celebrations have begun in Mathura's Barsana – known as the abode of Krishna's consort Radha – since Wednesday, February 25, with women and men playing Lathmar Holi. Women dressed in traditional finery were seen playfully hitting men with bamboo sticks as they shield themselves.

Drone videos of the Lathmar Holi in Barsana shows the region drenched in pink, blue, red colours as hundreds of devotees gather to celebrate the spring festival.

As the Lathmar Holi began, hundreds of women, carrying bamboo sticks, stepped out of their homes in the evening to play Lathmar Holi with men from the neighbouring Nandgaon town.

Several videos showed men engaging in a playful banter with women. The women, then, respond to the banter with light strikes from their sticks.

According to local belief, the tradition of 'Lathmar Holi' can be traced back to the Dwapar Yug, when Lord Krishna and his friends visited Barsana to tease Radha and her companions, who chased them away with sticks.

On their arrival, the men from Nandgaon were accorded a ceremonial welcome at Priya Kund, where they were treated to sweets, fritters, 'thandai' in keeping with the tradition. Also Read | Holi sales set to cross ₹80,000 crore? CAIT's Praveen Khandelwal predicts business growth in upcoming festive period

The men then tied their ceremonial turbans and sought permission to play Holi at the Shri Ladli Kishori Ji temple, perched on the Brahmanchal hill.

Ahead of the Holi festival, which will be celebrated across the country on March 4, the Uttar Pradesh government announced Rangotsav 2026 on a grand scale. The programme will be celebrated with cultural events.

As the festival begun in many parts of Uttar Pradesh, a helicopter showered flower petals on participants and devotees, adding to the festive fervour.

Braj region begins its Holi celebrations the first which continues for about 45 days. Lathmar Holi is said to be the main attraction of the 45-day-long festival.

Nand Baba temple priest Manish Goswami told PTI that the ritual shows affection and reverence.

"Today, the entire Braj region is immersed in this spirit of love," he said.

Security arrangements as Barsana celebrates Holi

As many as 500 police officers and 4,000 personnel have been deployed to ensure law and security are maintained, officials have said.

District Magistrate Chandraprakash Singh and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Shlok Kumar said the entire fair area has been divided into eight zones and 14 sectors to ensure the safety and security of devotees.

To manage the crowd, which is expected to gather in hundreds, personnel have been deployed for crowd management and surveillance, they said.

Also Read | Liquor shops in Maharashtra to remain closed on Holi, Muharram, Gandhi Jayanti

According to the officials, each zone is being supervised by an additional superintendent of police and a zonal magistrate, while every sector is under the charge of a deputy superintendent of police and a sector magistrate.

More than 150 sensitive points have been covered with CCTV cameras, and drones are being used to monitor crowded areas.

"Lakhs of devotees have arrived here. The entire region has been divided into 8 zones and 16 sectors for security purposes. Through CCTV, traffic diversion plans, holding areas, and barricades, a thorough security plan has been made. The goal is to ensure that the devotees do not face any inconvenience and have a wholesome celebration," Shlok Kumar, SSP Mathura told ANI.

"Any attempt to harass any female in the celebration will have legal repercussions. To ensure against it, we have Anti-Romeo squads and CCTVs," he added.

A specially constituted "anti-hooligan squad" has been tasked with keeping anti-social elements in check.

Watch towers have also been set up for surveillance.

(With agency inputs)

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