'Laddoo Holi' in Barsana heralds Holi

Barsana (UP), Mar 5 (ANI): Residents of Barsana near Mathura in Uttar Pradesh celebrated 'Laddoo Holi' by smearing one another with coloured powder and distributing 'Laddoos' to mark the Holi.

"This is to please the Lord Banke Bihari and Radha Rani. We feel very happy celebrating this festival by tossing Laddoos at one another," said Pawan Kumar, a devotee.

The flung Laddoos are pocketed with reverence as blessed offerings and hence the name 'Laddoo Holi'.

Barsana, about 50 kilometres from Mathura, has the distinction of having the only temple dedicated to Lord Krishna's consort Radha.

In Vrindavan and Mathura, where Lord Krishna is believed to have grown up, the festival is celebrated for 16 days until Ranga Panchmi to commemorate the divine love of Radha for Lord Krishna or 'Dhulandi', when people go around throwing coloured powder and spray water at each other.

Devotees from different parts of the country visit Barsana to celebrate the festival with much fun and gaiety and spraying of colours symbolising the start of spring.

Nonita Khurana, another devotee from Agra added, "We have come to be sprayed with colours in the name of Lord Kanhaiya and Goddesses Radha Rani. We are pleasing them with colours and Laddoos so that they feel happy. With devotion, we want to seek blessings at the sacred feet of Kanhaiya and become theirs forever."

The 'Laddoo Holi' comes a day-before the town celebrates 'Lathmaar Holi' during which women chase away men with sticks.

'Laddoo Holi' is celebrated by the devotees who believe Lord Krishna came here from his native place Nandgoan to play.

Laddoos are distributed to mark the coming of Lord Krishna.t is said that on this day Lord Krishna came to Barsana and playfully teased Radha and her friends whereas he was chased away by the girls. This occasion is observed even today as 'Lathmaar Holi'.

Though Holi is a single day affair elsewhere in the country, for the Brijwasis (people of Mathura where Lord Krishna spent his childhood days), it is almost a ten day event. By Brijesh Kumar Singh (ANI)