Holi celebrations began in Mathura’s Barsana – known as the abode of Krishna’s consort Radha – from Wednesday, February 25, when women and men play Lathmar Holi. Women dressed in traditional finery were seen playfully beating men with bamboo sticks as they shielded themselves.
Drone videos of the Lathmar Holi in Barsana show the region bathed in pink, blue and red colors as hundreds of devotees gather to celebrate the spring festival.
As Lathmar Holi began, hundreds of women carrying bamboo poles came out of their homes in the evening to play Lathmar Holi with men from the neighboring town of Nandgaon.
Several videos showed men engaging in playful banter with women. The women then respond to teasing with light blows of their sticks.
According to local belief, the tradition of ‘Lathmar Holi’ can be traced back to Dwapar Yug, when Lord Krishna and his friends visited Barsana to tease Radha and her associates, who chased them away with sticks.
On arrival, the men of Nandgaon were given a ceremonial welcome at the Priya Kund where they were treated to sweets, fritters and ‘tandai’ as per tradition. Also read | Holi sales are about to kick off ₹80,000 million? CAIT’s Praveen Khandelwal predicts business growth in the upcoming festive season
The men then tied their ceremonial turbans and sought permission to play Holi at the Shri Ladli Kishori Ji Temple located on the Brahmanchal Hill.
Ahead of the Holi festival to be celebrated across the country on March 4, the Uttar Pradesh government has announced Rangotsav 2026 on a grand scale. The program will be complemented by cultural events.
As the festival began in many parts of Uttar Pradesh, a helicopter showered participants and devotees with flower petals, adding to the festive fervor.
The Braj region begins its first Holi celebrations that last for about 45 days. Lathmar Holi is said to be the main attraction of the 45-day festival.
Nand Baba temple priest Manish Goswami told PTI that the ritual shows affection and respect.
“Today the entire Braj region is immersed in this spirit of love,” he said.
Safety precautions when Barsana celebrates Holi
According to officials, up to 500 police officers and 4,000 personnel have been deployed to ensure law enforcement and security.
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 expected to gather in hundreds, crowd control and monitoring personnel have been deployed, they said.
Read also | Liquor shops in Maharashtra will remain closed on Holi, Muharram, Gandhi Jayanti
According to officials, each zone is under the supervision of an additional Superintendent of Police and a Zonal Magistrate, while each sector is under the supervision of a Deputy Superintendent of Police and a Sector Magistrate.
More than 150 sensitive points have been covered by CCTV cameras and drones are being used to monitor the congested areas.
“Lakhs of devotees have come here. The entire region has been divided into 8 zones and 16 sectors for security reasons. A thorough security plan has been made through CCTV, traffic diversion plans, containment areas and barricades. The aim is to ensure that the devotees do not face any inconvenience and have a healthy celebration,” Shlok Kumar, SSP Mathura told ANI.
“Any attempt to harass any woman at the celebration will have legal consequences. We have anti-Roma squads and CCTV to prevent this,” he added.
A specially created “anti-hooligan unit” was given the task of keeping anti-social elements under control.
Watchtowers were also set up for surveillance.
