Bengalis celebrate Holi as Dol Yatra or the swing festival where the idols of Krishna and Radha are placed on swings and women sing devotional songs, throw colors on them and perform dances as devotees take turns to swing them.
In North India and Uttar Pradesh effigies of Holika are burnt in huge bonfires. This tradition is also followed in Gujarat and Orissa. In a display of greatfulness to Agni the god of Fire, gram and stalks from the harvest are offered in the bonfire.
In Maharashtra, Holi is commonly known by the name of Shimga and is also called Rangapanchami. The Kolis or fisherfolk of Maharashtra celebrate it on a large-scale with singing, dancing and merry-making.
Holi for the Indian farmer means joyful celebration of a new harvest and they offer their first crop to Agnidev - the God of Fire. Only after this offering of first harvest to Agnidev do the farmers use the crop for their personal consumption.
Dhulandi Holi is celebrated with gusto in Haryana where the Bhabhi (Sister-in-law) beats her Devar (Husband's younger brother) with her sari rolled up like a rope. In the evening the Devar brings home sweetmeats and goodies to win back his Bhabi`s affection.
In Manipur Holi is a six day long festival known as the Yaosang festival. It commences with the Thabal Chongba - moonlight dance wherein girls are allowed to meet boys and they all celebrate together. Instead of a pyre, a hut is built and set ablaze. The next day, boys play Holi with the girls who later extract money from them.
Holi is observed for many days in Nandagaon where the young Lord Krishna grew up and in Barsana which was the birthplace of Radha, Krishna's beloved. The men-folk of Nandagaon and the women-folk of Barsana come together and play the game of "Huranga" in which men abuse women and in retaliation women beat them with sticks which the men try to avoid with their shields. Hence the festival here is known as 'Lathamar Holi'.
The festival of Holi still retains its charm in Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore's Shanti Niketan. On Dol Purnima day, in the early morning the students dress up in saffron-coloured clothes & wear garlands of fragrant flowers. They sing and dance to the accompaniment of musical instruments before their teachers & the invited guests, sitting in a colourfully decorated dais. In the end dry gulal powder and the auspicious black abhir is smeared on the foreheads of everyone. Use of liquid colours is forbidden.
