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Lathmaar Holi celebrations begin in Barsana
Barsana:
The people of Barsana and its adjoining villages
have begun celebrating the festival of colours, Holi,
a week ahead of the rest of the country. Men and women
in traditional costumes took part in a colourful procession
here, about 50 kilometres from Mathura, the birthplace
of Lord Krishna, sprinkling colours on each other.
Revellers sang folk songs and danced in groups as
part of the Rasleela celebrations, recalling the romance
of Lord Krishna and Radha, his consort. Holi played
at Barsana is unique in the sense that here women
chase men away with sticks. Males also sing provocative
songs in a bid to invite the attention of women. Women
then go on the offensive and use long staves called
"lathis" to beat men folk who protect themselves with
shields. "These sticks are expression of the romantic
anger of Radha and her friends, asking why Lord Krishna
and his shepherd friends do not live with them all
the time. The beating is not intended to injure them,
but depicts love," said Sanjay Goswami, the president
of the festival organizing committee. Legend has it
that Lord Krishna visited his beloved Radha's village
on this day and playfully teased her and her friends.
Taking offence at this, the women of Barsana chased
him away. Since then, men from Krishna's village,
Nandgaon, visit Barsana to play Holi in the town which
has the distinction of having the only temple dedicated
to Radha in India.
-Mar 16,
2008
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