The Huranga Festival at Dauji Temple in Mathura, on Tuesday, captivated visitors with its vibrancy and deep-rooted traditions. Hosted annually, this unique festival is observed a day after Holi and is attended by visitors from far and wide.
Rooted in ancient beliefs, this festival holds strong religious significance. As per Bhagwat Purana, once Dauji or Lord Balram returned to Braj without Lord Krishna, and performed Rasleela with the Gopis in his absence. Since then, the festival has been celebrated as a tribute to him.
The festival unfolds a distinctive celebration where men, known as Huriyare, and women, known as Huriyarins, engage in a unique form of Holi. Women joyfully drench men with vibrant abeer gulaal and watercolors, while men shield themselves by throwing colors back and engaging in playful banter. A highlight of the festival includes women playfully beating men with hunters made of their torn clothes.
Advertisement
In line with tradition, the Braj Tirth Vikas Parishad and the Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department left no stone unturned in ensuring the success of the festival. The festivities were enriched by captivating performances of local and regional folk artists, where people were enjoying the folk music, song and dance. Visitors also savoured upon the traditional cuisines that are served especially on the occasion of Holi.
Year-after-year, the festival continues to captivate the hearts of tourists and devotees alike, drawing them to Mathura to experience the enchantment of this joyous extravaganza.This year too witnessed an overwhelming participation. People turned up in huge numbers to join the celebrations showing immense enthusiasm and devotion.
The festival ended with devotees taking a holy dip in the Ksheer Sagar, marking the conclusion of yet another memorable edition of the Huranga festival.
Advertisement
