India - Holi

The epicenter for Holi celebrations is the town of Mathura in the Indian State of Uttar Pradesh. In 2018 celebrations began at 10:00 a.m. on March 1, and we were in the Mathura temple to Krishna where the celebration was most intense -- or so we were told. In any case, these photographs capture some small part of the craziness and festive atmosphere experienced that morning and into the early afternoon.

The photos do not convey the crescendo of emotion and religious fervor that grew as 10:00 approached. I could feel it, and was affected. (Photos 1-5 were taken before the start; 6-12 in the temple as celebrations proceeded; 13-16 on the streets outside; and finally #17 was taken that evening as the effigy of the demoness Holika was burned.)

I took a video of the final minutes leading up to and shortly following 10:00 a.m. Before playing it, be sure your volume is turned way down, as it is very loud. It is a public video on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stephen.haynes.562/videos/10156242218832803/?l=8556096374759787922