Agra Events and Festivals
Holi
Holi heralds the beginning of spring and is celebrated with great enthusiasm all over India. According to a legend, Hiranya Kashyap, the demon who ruled over 'Sapta Deep' believed himself to be more powerful than God. He contemplated killing his youngest son Prahlad, an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu after he refused to worship him as God.
Holika, the demon's sister who possessed a divine, garment to protect her from fire, agreed to enter the burning pyre with Prahlad in her lap but got burnt herself.
Holi thus signifies the triumph of good over evil and is marked by grand festivities
all over India and particularly in the Braj area where it is celebrated with
great gaiety and fervor.
It is believed that Lord Krishna, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, in human form played holi with the Gopi's (cowherd maids) in the ancient past. Keeping this tradition alive in Braj, Holi celebrations last for more than a week and are marked by people sprinkling colored water & smearing colored powder on each other.
The playful teasing of the Gopis by the Gopas (cowherd boys) is enacted by groups of men and women through special Holi songs and dances, called Rasiya.
Barsana Holi 
48 km. from Mathura at Barsana, is celebrated the famous "Latthmaar Holi"
of Braj. Tradition has it that Krishna from Nandgaon use to come to Barsana
to play Holi with Radha along with his Gopi friends. The Gopis after merriment
chased away the Gopas of Nandgaon by beating them with "lathis".
So it came to be known as the 'Latthmar Holi' of Barsana.
To this day, the village women have the freedom to literally take up cudgels
against their men folk, a right they exercise with all enthusiasm and shower
colored water as an expression of joy.
The main celebrations at Barsana, take place at the Ladliji temple, dedicated to Sri Radha Rani, (the beloved of Sri Krishna).
Nandgaon
The day after Barsana Holi, it's the turn of Nandgaon to get soaked with the myriad hues of holi. The men and women of Barsana go to Nandgaon (7 km.) to play Latthmar Holi with each other.
Daujee Ka Huranga (Baldeo)
20 km. from Mathura, the town is named after Balram the elder brother of Sri Krishna. A temple dedicated to Baldeo stands in the centre of the town.
The Holi festival celebrated here is famous as Daujee Ka Huranga. Men & women collect here in large numbers to play holi.
Falen
Falen, a village 15 km. from Kosi, celebrates Holi in a very special way and
has great significance. A "Panda" (Holyman) walks bare feet over holy
pyres without getting burnt, symbolizing Prahlad's emergence from the burning
pyre unharmed.
Kailash Fair (Aug. / Sep.)
Held at Kailash, 12 km. It is major fair celebrated in honor of Lord Shiva who
is believed to have appeared here in the form of a stone lingam.
Sheetla Fair
(July/Aug.) it is held near Mahu Road in Agra.
Bateshwar Fair
Situated at a distance of 70 km. from Agra on the banks of river Yamuna, Bateshwar is an important spiritual and cultural centre.
The place is named after the presiding deity of the region, Bateshwar Mahadeo and has 108 temples dedicated to the gods and goddesses of the Hindu pantheon. During
the months of Oct. & Nov. a large fair is organized from Shashthi of Kartik month to Panchami of Agrahayan month. Devotees congregate here in large numbers to worship Lord Shiva and take holy dips in river Yamuna. A livestock fair is also organized and owners and buyers conduct serious business combined with the gaiety of a market place.
Urs (Fatehpur Sikri)
This fair is organized at Sheikh Salim Chishti's Dargah, during the month of
Ramzan.
Taj Mahotsav
A festival of art, craft, culture and celebrations. Organized by U.P. Tourism,
it is held every year between 18th -27th February.
Ram Lila / Ram Barat
The marriage procession of Sri Ram, is held every year during Ramlila celebrations at Agra.
Every year a new locale of the town is chosen as Janakpuri, which is elaborately decorated to perform the royal wedding. The Rambarat (marriage procession) starts from Lala Channomaiji Id Baradari for Janakpuri passing through different parts of the town. The barat is a large procession of Jhankis followed by the swaroops of Ram-Lakshman mounted on elephants.
Janmastami & Krishna Leela
Janmashtami, the birth of Lord Krishna is celebrated with great devotion in the August/September months, on the Ashtami of Krishna Paksh or the 8th day of the dark fortnight in the month of Bhadon, in the whole of north India.
Temples and homes are beautifully decorated and lit. An attractive feature of the celebrations are cribs & other decorations depicting stories of Lord Krishna's childhood. There are five main "jhankis" of Janmashtami which depict the entire sequence of events from Lord Krishna's birth to his being discovered in Gokul. The "jhankis" include the birth of Krishna in jail, Vasudev carrying Krishna to safety across the river Yamuna amidst thunder and lightning, Vasudev's return to the jail, Kansa killing Yashoda's daughter and finally the little Krishna in the cradle in Gokul. "Jhankis" are created out of dolls dressed up as kids, men and women with lehangas, chunnis, dhotis & kurtas.
Raslila of every type are also performed - Janmalila, Shankarlila, Putnalila and Naglila. In the evening bhajans are sung which end at midnight, the auspicious moment when Lord Krishna was born. Thereafter arti is done, prasad distributed and flowers showered on the idol.
Celebrations at Braj Bhoomi
Mathura, the birthplace of Lord Krishna, where his parents lived in captivity
of the evil Kansa and he as a young boy came and vanquished his maternal uncle
Kansa to ascend the throne and free his parents, celebrates Janmashtami with
great enthusiasm. The main celebrations are performed at the Dwarkadhish temple,
Mathura in the form of Jhulanotsava and the Ghatas during the entire month of
Shravan. The ghatas are a unique feature of the month long celebrations. During
the ghata of a particular color the whole temple is covered with decoration
in the same color. Even the Lord dresses up in the same color. The twin cities
of Mathura- Vrindavan deities are brought back to temples. The Mela lasts till
the end of the month of Shravan.
Rath Ka Mela, Vrindavan
The Rangaji temple, Vrindavan, is also the venue for the annual Rath Mela, celebrated in March-April. The chariot of Lord Rangaji is taken out from the temple with great enthusiasm by thousands of devotees.
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