ខ្មែរ
English
Ladies magazine would like to invite you to share the wonders of India and its Holi Festival. Celebrated on March 17th and going on for a week,Holi celebrations start with a Holika Bonfire, where people gather around to sing and dance. The following morning, an absolute carnival ensues! Colors fly everywhere as people play, chase each other and dance in the streets, outside of temples and tall buildings, everyone is fair game when it comes to smearing/tossing/ squirting this colorful powder, locally known as “gulal”, or “abir”. In some regions of Northern India, there is even a day when men walk around with shields and women are allowed to playfully beat them with sticks! The Holi Festival signifies the triumph of good over evil as well as the end of winter and the arrival of spring.
If you decide to partake in this colorful event, understand that you are helping to celebrate the coming of a new season and this means that down and dirty as well. Leave your white clothes behind and smile at the next you will have to get that cheerily splashes powder all over your face.
When traveling to India for the Holi Festival, aim to be in Rajastan, India’s North-West Indian State. Not only will you be part of one of the most unique traditions in the world, you will also be able to enjoy some unique sights and adventures the region hast to offer; such as a camel ride through the Thar Dessert (Jaisalmer), a tour of the HawaMahal Palace (also known as the Palace of Winds), or an afternoon stroll around the pink city of Jaipur.
ALSO CONSIDER:
Pushkar:
Also in the State of Rajastan, Pushkar is a beautiful little town situated next to a d small lake. It is quiet and beautiful, ideal for a few days of relaxing, eating spicy curries and…shopping! Chalk full of markets, it truly is a girls paradise, you can f buy anything from a silk dress to a pair of silver earrings. Our only word of caution-is: beware of the monkeys! As in Cambodia, they can be feisty creatures.
Varanasi:
If you are in the country to witness Holi Festival, cross over to the North East to stand at the edge of the Ganges River. This city is not to be missed, considered the holiest of all, it is a true feast for the eyes. Take a stroll along the Ganges and you will see women fully dressed in their beautiful Saris bathing in the river with the hopes of cleansing their karma, holy men sitting in impossibly complicated positions, wide eyed tourists trying to take it all in, old ladies begging for money so that they can buy wood for their cremation; in short, there is never a dull moment, a true gem.
BEFORE YOU GO:
1. This is not a country where we would encourage solo travel, or even travelling with a partner. Unless you are a seasoned expert, join a tour to keep yourself from getting unwanted male attention or from turning down the wrong alley and getting yourself into serious trouble.
2. It is imperative to dress modestly. Leave the shorts and low-cut tops at home and pack long dresses with a shawl to cover your shoulders.
3. Consider the time it takes to process a visa, visit the local embassy and find out and you what your options are.
Happy travels!
