Devotees dressed as Krishna and Radha danced and threw flowers on one another, drawing the attention of tourists towards the special style of enjoying the festival.
Days ahead of Holi, the festival was celebrated in Rajasthan’s Pushkar town in a special way by devotees of Krishna.
Holi, popularly known as the festival of colours, holds a distinct meaning in Pushkar and it is celebrated with flowers. It usually falls in the Hindu month of Phagun and is viewed as the harbinger of spring and new life.
Yesterday, local residents celebrated Holi with flowers instead of colours, as has been the general practice, while dancing to the beats of drums and devotional songs in praise of Krishna.
Artistes from various parts of the country gathered in Pushkar to perform Raas Leela (dance recitals depicting Krishna's flirtatious interludes with village maidens).
Troupes of singers who render folk songs particularly associated with Holi also flocked to the town to participate in the festivities.
"On this occasion, we play Holi with flowers," said Pawan Kumar, a local resident. "Artistes from various regions like Gwalior, Mumbai, and Jaipur gather here to take part in the celebrations. They perform dances based on Lord Krishna's leela [deeds]. We also welcome the idol of Lord Ganesha with colours and decorate it. Later, we will play the Holi Phag Mausam with everybody. We play this every year and everybody takes part in the celebrations."
Devotees dressed as Krishna and his beloved, Radha, danced and threw flowers on one another, drawing the attention of tourists towards the special style of enjoying the festival.
"I have been in Pushkar for the last two days and so far, my stay in this town has been great," said Sara, an American tourist. "The dances, songs, people dressed as Lord Krishna are really beautiful. The people are very welcoming here. I really like it here. The way Krishna is dancing is good to watch. I wish I had some colours to throw on everybody."
Holi celebrates the coming of spring and the harvest. It brings together people from all classes and age groups as they play with colours, distribute sweets, and take out processions.
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