Festival of Colors: Tips to Celebrate Holi in India

Is celebrating the Festival of Colors, also known as Holi in India on your bucket list? If so, keep reading to find out all about how to celebrate one of our all time favorite holidays. After 10 years of celebrating it in the streets of India (and 7 in Los Angeles), we have become experts on how to celebrate it safely and to maximum effect.

We have celebrated Holi in India as solo adults and with a kid. All of our tips below are applicable to both. And yes, families, this is a great holiday to celebrate even with your kids. If you aren’t in India, but would also like to share in the fun, read our guide on how to create your own Holi party at home!

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

DSC_0652What is the Holi Festival in India?

Holi is a Hindu holiday, but is celebrated widely in (mostly northern) India and Nepal. In Mumbai, the entire city practically shuts down for the main day of Holi. It doesn’t matter if you are rich or poor, Hindu, Christian or Muslim, Holi is the one holiday that brings everyone together in a colorful day of celebration.

Holi is celebrated for several days every year in March, specific dates dependent on the moon cycle (on the full moon). In 2020, Holi is on March 9-10. Festivities start with pujas and bonfires in the streets the night before in preparation for the main event of throwing color. Adults and children alike take to the streets to throw gulal (colored powder) and spray dyed water (from water guns, buckets or water balloons) on everyone they can find.

It is all usually all over by the early afternoon, however private parties go well into the afternoon. These gatherings often include music, dancing and of course food.

How Locals Celebrate the Festival of Colour

Holi is celebrated in many ways throughout India. Residents of some buildings hire water tanker trucks to spray water down from the roof simulating rain, while in other areas, neighborhood kids fill balloons with dyed water joyfully tossing them at people walking by. Some families hold small celebrations in their building, carefully touching color on each other’s cheeks. No matter how it is celebrated, everyone agrees it is a great way to mark the coming spring. Around the world Holi is often celebrated in large parks as a more organized event

If you think India is chaos on a regular day, wait until Holi! Its anarchy! As a foreigner, you will be targeted often, so expect to end the day covered in color. Also, don’t be surprised if you are hit with stray water balloons in the days leading up to Holi. I have been shocked and surprised by splashes of water while riding in open rickshaws during this time of year.

tips to celebrate holi in india

Where Should You Celebrate Holi in India?

tips to celebrate holi in indiaThere are so many places to celebrate Holi in India depending on what type of experience you want. North India tends to be the place to be for the biggest and most insane Holi experience. I have always celebrated Holi in Mumbai as that is where I lived and what I know the best.

For those that want to celebrate in the north, it is often stated that Mathura/Vrindavan (the birthplace of Lord Krishna) is the “best”. Additionally, in larger towns of Rajasthan like Jaisalmer, Udaipur, Jaipur and Delhi, there are plenty of opportunities for private parties as well as public street play. 

In Mathura/Vrindavan, the place to be is the Bankey Bihari Temple on the day before (March 9, 2020). Here you can climb up to the top to watch the entire town get submerged in color. It is a safe spot to be for you and your camera. In Mathura, the Dwarkadheesh Temple is where you will want to be. 

Where To Celebrate as a Foreigner

If you are traveling as a solo female or with very young children, my advice is to avoid the large gatherings in the center of towns and cities. Rather, seek out local neighborhoods instead. Look for areas where there are lots of families and children playing. You will get an authentic experience without as much chaos.

In middle class and upper class neighborhoods you might find that most people celebrate inside their apartment compound, but you can still find revealers in the road who won’t be as wild as in more condensed neighborhoods. India being India, it is likely you will be invited to join in some of the private celebrations as well! If you are in Mumbai, we love celebrating in Bandra and Khar.

Try to celebrate with a group of people (foreigners or others from your hotel). I would not recommend going out as a solo female traveler. The streets are filled with many more men than women. Find a group or tour to join if you are traveling on your own. Either way, unfortunately, expect to be eve-teased or groped if you are a female. In India this comes with any public celebration that brings out people from all walks of life. My advice is to call the men out when they do it – yell at them loudly and embarrass them.

5 Tips on Celebrating Holi in India

1. Go Out Early

tips on celebrating holi in indiaIf you have spent much time in cities in India, you will know that many things don’t get going until close to 10 a.m. Holi is the exception. This is the one day of the year that you want to be out and about early in the day. We typically leave the house by 9 and return home before noon. Once the day begins to wear on, you will run into more and more intoxicated (on bhang or alcohol) people which always brings more chaos.

If you begin to feel the energy shift, move to a different neighborhood, look for a local party to join or head home. Also don’t be afraid to ask people to go easy on you. Learn a few local words such as “aram se” meaning relax or “bus” which means enough or stop. Knowing a few words will help you calm situations down as even small children get overly excited when they see foreigners to cover in color!

2. Prepare for the Holi Colors

celebrating holi in indiaColor is going to get everywhere on your body if you celebrate in public. It will be in your ears, your nose, under your fingernails, you name it. Embrace it! It will wash off…eventually!

Some people in India recommend oiling your hair or your skin. I feel part of the fun is getting crazy colorful and wearing the badge of honor for the next few days. What is the harm in having colored streaks in your blonde hair or patches of purple on your cheek for a few days? Indians will love to see that you participated in their most beloved holiday. Although, my one caveat is, if you celebrate Holi in smaller towns or villages, most of the colors tend to stain badly. In that case, I recommend putting oil in your hair if it’s blonde.

Tip: Wear your hair up if you can. This will minimize the color that gets soaked up into it. Also, you can wear a bandana or hat. The color itself doesn’t usually stain too much, but once it’s mixed with water, it becomes potent! Shake it out of your hair if you can before you get drenched with a bucket of water!

tips to celebrate holi in indiaIf you don’t want to get powder in your eyes, the best protection is to wear sunglasses. This has protected my eyes more than once and is now a must for everyone in our family.  If you will be celebrating in a big public space (beach or village square), consider using a bandana to cover your mouth as the colors used in India are not always safe and can contain toxic metals.

Tip: Carry a ziplock bag with wet wipes. This will come in handy if you get color in your eyes, need to wipe off your sunglasses or phone or even your hands!

3. Wear White &/or Old Clothes

Tips to celebrate Holi in IndiaIf you are in India in advance of Holi, find a local shop to purchase a white salwaar kameez. It is what many locals wear daily. At local shops you can find an entire outfit for less than $5 USD. The white makes it much easier to see all the fantastic colors. I recommend getting a long sleeve top if you can. This will reduce the amount of exposed body parts covered in colors (or groped!).

Women, know that wearing a white top runs the risk that it will become see through and increase potential eve-teasing or groping. In this case, I suggest wearing a black tank top underneath which will not show the color stains too much and will keep your body protected from view!

If you don’t have time or money to buy new clothes specifically for Holi, wear something old that can be ruined. I typically wore an old cotton shirt that is not see through when wet. Remember to keep your shoulders and cleavage covered.

Keep in mind that whatever you wear underneath your clothes will also be stained and ruined – bras, undies, socks, etc. For women I typically recommend wearing an old white (because it’s easy to bleach or black) tank top underneath (sans bra, unless you really need one – then use an old one or a dark color). Leggings are a great choice for women and light shorts are great for men.

Wear old tennis shoes or flip flops that are easily washed off. My go to Holi shoe while in India was a pair crocs! Waterproof and the color washed off easily.

Also remember that any bags or purses that you carry will be covered in color as well. Take something that is easy to wash, hides color well or can be thrown away.

4. Sample the Bhang Responsibly

Tips on celebrating Holi in India
This is what happens when you drink too much bhang!

The main drink of Holi is thandai, a milky drink often mixed with cannabis. If someone offers you this on the street, I recommend declining. If you would like to try it, ask around on where you can purchase your own. Often many restaurants will have a stall set up outside selling their homemade bhang. If you get some, take it back to your room/house to sample it. The bhang is made differently at every home or restaurant, so you never know just how strong it might be. My first year in Mumbai I saw many passed out revelers on the sides of the road, from what I assume was very strong bhang!

5. Protect Your Camera

tips on celebrating holi in indiaOf course you want to take photos of this colorful event and you must! The fine colored powder wreaks havoc on cameras though, so prepare your camera in advance. You can cover the entire camera with ziplock bags and duct tape, leaving only the glass of the lens exposed. This will protect your camera from all the tiny particles floating around as well as from the splashes of water that will surely come your way. Here is a good how-to if you aren’t sure exactly how to protect your camera.

If you don’t have the supplies to protect your camera or worried about taking your expensive digital camera out, take your phone instead! I often use my iPhone with it’s lifeproof cover. You will still get great quality photos without the worry.

Tip: Avoid getting the water from the streets in your mouth. Much of the water used on Holi comes from less than stellar sources and are full of bacteria. I will never forget the smell of the water thrown on me from the local slum area by our house.

Don’t Forget Your Travel Insurance

India is an amazing country for travelers, but accidents do happen, therefore you should make sure to have international insurance in place before you go. This is the one non-negotiable item I make sure to book for any trip abroad.  For me personally, I have a year long plan with Allianz. However, they also have 1 trip plans in a wide range of affordable options including coverage for both travel hiccups and medical emergencies. Check out their plans and rates here

For a bit more of a comprehensive insurance with higher allowances for things like dental, repatriation of remains, etc, I also recommend World Nomads. World Nomads does tend to be a bit more expensive, but their coverage is much more comprehensive. Check their rates here. And as always, read the fine print to know exactly what is and is not covered!

My choice in insurance often is dependent on the location I am traveling too (the political stability, chance for great misfortune, etc) or if I am taking a tour that requires specific coverage.

I have used both companies myself as they are both known for being responsive to claims and are reputable.

Have you celebrated Holi in India? What are your top tips to enjoy it safely?

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Read our top tips for celebrating Holi in India before you cross it off your bucket list!Celebrating Holi in India is amazing, fun and sometimes a little scary! Read our tips before you head out.

7 thoughts on “Festival of Colors: Tips to Celebrate Holi in India”

  1. Holi is biggest festival of india. Everything you need to know about The Festival of Colour to stay safe and happy and you shared very informative article about holi.

    Reply
  2. Great advice, especially because I’ve read lots of posts about Holi and often I’m left feeling like I’d spend days on end in a constant anxious state. I love the idea of avoiding the larger celebrations. Gosh I love India.

    Reply
  3. Great post! I loved Holi festival in India. Before I went I couldn’t find much on it and this is one reason why I started my blog. Always nice to read other bloggers great articles!

    Reply
  4. Very useful tips especially for beginner or who have come from different country just to celebrate Holi.

    Thank You for sharing your wonderful experiences with us.

    Reply

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