India - Holi Festival Photo Tour - itinerary

Holi, India's most vibrant and exuberant festival, presents an extraordinary visual feast across multiple historic locations. The celebrations begin in Barsana, birthplace of Radha, where the unique Lathmar Holi sees women playfully beating men with sticks while colours fill the air, creating varied dynamic compositions.

In neighbouring Nandgaon, Krishna's homeland, the festival takes on a different character as devotees spray coloured water from syringes and throw vivid powders. The celebrations here focus on the mythological relationship between Krishna and Radha, with ancient temples providing dramatic backdrops for traditional festivities.

Mathura, the birthplace of Krishna, brings a unique perspective as festival revelry blends with spiritual life along the Yamuna River. The ghats provide atmospheric settings for morning rituals, while the old city's narrow lanes frame intimate portraits of devotees amidst the swirling colours and chaos.

Holi begins with its unique regional celebrations and culminates in the national festivities that coincide with our time in Punjab. From intimate portraits in Barsana's ancient lanes to the national celebrations during Hola Mohalla, the festival provides endless opportunities to document this ancient celebration of spring, faith, and community.

Hola Mohalla, the vibrant Sikh festival in Anandpur Sahib, presents a spectacular showcase of martial arts and horsemanship. The holy city transforms into an arena of dynamic action, where Nihang Sikhs in traditional blue robes and towering turbans demonstrate their warrior heritage through dramatic displays of combat skills.

Throughout the festival, skilled performers offer countless opportunities to capture the intensity of traditional martial arts. We can document displays of 'gatka' sword fighting and spear throwing, while horseback riding exhibitions feature skilled warriors performing acrobatic feats against the backdrop of the city's gurudwaras.

The festival's atmosphere combines spiritual devotion with martial tradition, as warriors adorned with traditional weapons and symbolic ornaments gather in large numbers. Their distinctive appearance, with turbans decorated with metal rings and religious symbols, provides portrait opportunities reflecting centuries of Sikh martial culture.

Beyond the main demonstrations, the festival grounds buzz with smaller events and community gatherings. The preparation of langar (community meals), the sound of spiritual hymns, and the colourful crowds enjoying traditional food stalls all offer intimate scenes of celebration that complement the dramatic action sequences.

Day 1:
Arrival in Delhi
We will arrange for you to be picked up from the airport and taken to our comfortable hotel located in the nearby Aerocity area. There is a pre-tour meet ‘n’ greet with Nathan at the hotel starting at around 6pm, followed by drinks and dinner with the group.

Day 2:
Delhi — Barsana
After breakfast, we head off on a drive to our hotel in Barsana, where we spend three nights. Upon arrival at the hotel, we can rest for a while, after which Nathan holds a briefing on optimum Holi camera techniques, as well as dos and don’ts while participating in the Holi celebrations.

Next, we gear up our cameras with protective plastic covers, then we walk out of our hotel to witness the unusual Laddu festival where locals throw sweets at each other rather than water in preparation for Holi. From our doorstep, we can follow the action all the way to the main temple in Barsana, known as Shri Radha Rani, but depending on crowd control issues on the day we will advise whether it’s suitable to go into the temple itself.

Day 3:
Barsana
We need plenty of energy to get through today so we suggest everyone wake up in their own time. After breakfast, we discuss how we can apply the latest processing techniques to yesterday’s Holi photos.

This afternoon, we enjoy the festival at the village of Barsana Lathmar. Barsana, the birthplace of Radha, Lord Krishna's beloved wife, attracts many visitors each year when it celebrates Holi. It can be overwhelmingly busy but we arrange a safe heaven on a roof top on one of the busiest streets. You can then run up and down to the street as you please.

On this particular day, as part of the festival, the men of Nandgaon come to the village, intending to take over the temple of Shri Radha Rani. The local women are reluctant to allow them to do so and resist them with bamboo sticks. Unable to strike back, the men can only soak up the beating with a pre-prepared shield. Add to the scenario a day’s worth of thrown paint and water and you have great photo opportunities in all directions. In the evening we head back to the hotel for dinner.

Day 4:
Barsana
Once again, we need plenty of rest and preparation time for this afternoon’s visit to the village of Nandgaon, where we witness their own particular Holi celebrations.

Today is the festival of colour, food and drink, and celebrates the end of winter and the beginning of spring. Dyed water is shot from syringes, thrown from buckets and poured into balloons, which are then tossed at people. The celebrations are centred on the changing balance of power between the male (embodied in Krishna) and the female (represented by Radha). They are liberally sprinkled with perfumes, saffron water, kesudo, and covered in sandalwood as well as white and pink powder, abir and gulal.

By the end of the afternoon, we will have reached our unique vantage point from which we witness one of the highlights of the tour - the Samaj rituals where a large group of males sodden in bright paint enchant Krishna prayers.

Day 5:
Barsana — Varanasi
After breakfast, we drive to Delhi airport and fly to Varanasi. Before arriving at our hotel, we board some boats and slowly introduce you to the famous ghats of Varanasi as the sun sets. The old city of Varanasi presents an extraordinary tapestry of spiritual life along the Ganges. Against this dramatic backdrop, smouldering funeral ghats offer a powerful reminder of Varanasi's role as a sacred site of transition.

Day 6:
Mathura — Varanasi
We make a very early start this morning to witness our first Aarti ceremony, where priests perform rituals with oil lamps and incense as the sunrises. After breakfast, we further explore the ghats, photographing this amazing spectacle with help from our local guide who can explain the various activities that are taking place. 

Later in the afternoon we delve deep into the backstreets of the old city, where the labyrinthine alleys of the old city offer intimate glimpses into local life. In the evening the ghats and temples are lit with oil lamps or candles that can be seen during the main Aarti ceremony (prayer group) while we also see the floating Diyas (lamps) on the Ganges river.

Day 7:
Varanasi
Early this morning, we enjoy a boat ride on the Ganges with a local Sadhu (Holy man) on board, whilst witnessing the beauty of the sunrise. Later our boat passes by many of the hundred ghats, as well as numerous palaces built by Hindu kings. We see the early morning rituals of the Hindus with thousands of people bathing in the holy river believing they will be freed from the circle of rebirth. We also see the pilgrims offering sweets, flowers and holy water to the Sun God.

After breakfast, we have an arrangement with a local Vishnu ( blue faced) boy who we wander around the narrow streets and alleys of Varanasi in search of more photographic opportunities. In the late afternoon and early evening, we encourage you to explore the ghats by yourself or in small groups, under a brief from Nathan. You will have a second chance to photograph the evening Aarti if you so wish.

Day 8:
Varanasi — Anandpur Sahib
This morning we will fly to Delhi, before we take a train to Chandigarh. We then drive for ninety minutes to our hotel in the very heart of Anandapur Sahib and the Hola Mohalla festival. While Hola means the charge of an army, Mohalla means an organised procession.

Initiated by the tenth Guru of Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh Ji, Hola Mohalla is the gathering of Sikhs to exhibit their martial arts, swordsmanship and horse-riding skills, the expertise of which was with Guru Gobind Singh Ji himself, for he was known to be a great fighter and leader of the Sikhs against Aurangzeb and the Mughals dynasty.

He also fought against the Hill Rajputs, protecting the poor and helpless. It was he who felt that Holi had lost its meaning of brotherhood and coming together in the community, so he started the festival of Hola Mohalla, making it a similar celebration, but honouring the Khalsa custom. 

Accordingly, Hola Mohalla has been known to mean fun and a jubilant procession of people, with people playing Gatka, a form of martial arts, and enjoying the plethora of food served at various food stalls. However, it has also become combined with a more Hindu Holi with plenty of added colour.

Day 9:
Anandpur Sahib
Today, we enjoy the spectacular photographic opportunities of Nihang Sikhs demonstrating traditional martial arts skills. We can capture dramatic displays of 'gatka' sword fighting, spear throwing, and horseback riding exhibitions where skilled riders perform acrobatic feats.

The festival showcases warriors in traditional blue robes and towering turbans adorned with metal rings and symbols. The dynamic action, vibrant colours, and historic backdrop of Anandpur Sahib's gurudwaras create compelling visual compositions, and there are plenty of smaller sideshow events to add a touch of variety and spontaneity to the day.

Day 10:
Anandpur Sahib
Today, we once again photograph martial arts, swordsmanship and horse-riding skills as per the Hola Mohalla festival program, as well as the visiting crowds enjoying the various food stalls and listening to soothing hymns and tending their horses behind the scenes.

Day 11:
Amritsar
This morning we will drive to Amritsar and check into our charming boutique hotel. Later in the afternoon, we drive a relatively short distance to the Pakistan boarder to witness Wagah. Officially, the purpose of the ceremony is to lower the national flag and formally close the border for the night, but what actually occurs is a bizarre mix of pseudo-formal and competitive marching, flag-folding, chest-beating, forceful stomping and almost comical high-stepping. Whilst in the area, we also take the opportunity to photograph the local village life on the Pakistan border.

Day 12:
Amritsar
Before sunrise, we visit the Golden Temple, the pre-eminent spiritual site of Sikhism.that is known as the House of God to the Sikh community around the world. The temple is an open house of worship for people from all walks of life and faith. It has a square plan with four entrances, a circumambulation path around the pool and a central golden building, which makes for great sunrise shots.

Additional photographic interest can be found in a clock tower, the offices of the Gurdwara Committee, a Museum and a langar, a free Sikh community-run kitchen that offers a vegetarian meal to all visitors without discrimination. Over 150,000 people can visit the holy shrine every day for worship.

After the temple, we explore a few local backstreets before heading back to the hotel. The afternoon will be dedicated to helping you prepare your thousands of great pictures into a photo book format that we provide a template for - compatible with BookWright and Blurb.

Day 13:
Delhi
We take an early morning flight back to Delhi, from where you can transfer for your flight back home, unless of course you’re planning to spend a few more days in India.

We hope you will have had an enjoyable and memorable experience, and look forward to seeing you again on another photographic adventure!