Barsana plays its Lathmar Holi on Navami, the ninth lunar day of the bright half of Phalguna, and Nandgaon the next day; the Braj Holi then moves town by town until Holi itself.

Lathmar Holi of Braj in Mathura

Radha's village answers Krishna's with bamboo staves, songs and clouds of colour

← Lathmar Holi of Braj

Stay3–4 nights
arrive2 days ahead
book60 days ahead
Pricesprices rise sharply

About a week before Holi, the villages of Radha and Krishna play it out over two days: men from one village arrive with shields, and the women of the other meet them with long staves and colour.

Where to watch

Barsana and Nandgaon, in Mathura district: Barsana is about 45 km from Mathura, and Nandgaon about 8 km from Barsana

🎟 Free viewing

  • Every Lathmar event is free and open; nothing is ticketed
  • Barsana: the courtyard of the Shriji temple for Laddu Holi, and the lanes below it on the Lathmar day
  • Nandgaon: the lanes around Nand Bhavan the next day
India GO: your pocket guide to India

35 cities, one map with every place, the festival calendar, the 90/180 visa calculator and offline mode.

Point your phone's camera here