Hindu devotees in the northern town of Barsana in Uttar Pradesh celebrated ‘Laddoo Holi’ on Tuesday (24 February), a traditional pre-Holi ritual honouring the Hindu deity Krishna.
Thousands gathered as flower petals, coloured powder and wrapped laddoos (traditional Indian ball-shaped dessert) were thrown into the air in scenes of jubilation. Devotees danced to music, caught the sweets from balconies and joined in the festivities marking the lead-up to the festival of colours.
A devotee from Nandgaon said the town of Barsana had formally invited residents to take part in the celebration.
“They sent an invitation to Nandgaon. They invited us to come to Barsana and enjoy playing Laddoo Holi. Today, hundreds of thousands of devotees have gathered here. It is truly a day of great joy and celebration,” he said.
Another devotee, who travelled from Haridwar in Uttarakhand, described the festival as a blessing.
“I am feeling immense joy. Laddoo Holi is a festival. It is happiness. It is the blessing of Radha Rani that she has called us here and given us the opportunity to take part today. We have brought about one and a quarter quintal of laddoos, prepared and packed to offer here,” he said.
Police personnel were seen moving through the large crowds as celebrations continued.
Holi, the Hindu festival of colours, will be celebrated on 4 March this year, with the traditional Holika Dahan bonfire observed the previous evening on 3 March.
G7 foreign ministers called on Iran to end its arming and support of Houthis in Yemen, which they said constituted...
Türkiye’s COP31 presidency has unveiled an action agenda designed to turn climate commitments into concrete projects and measurable resu...
A gunman opened fire near a high school in western Türkiye on Tuesday morning, injuring 11 people before being detained by police, accord...
Iran's military has threatened to launch sustained attacks on U.S. bases and interests across the Middle East if Washington resumes military action against Tehran.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv was ready to halt strikes on Russian energy facilities if Moscow stops targeting Ukraine’s energy sector, critical infrastructure, and food exports, as he prepared to meet U.S. President Donald Trump in New York.
Overnight Russian strikes on the city of Sumy, northeast Ukraine, have killed one woman and injured a man, the country's State Emergency Service has said.
Russian parliamentary elections have delivered a comfortable win to the ruling United Russia party, which is closely aligned to President Vladimir Putin. With more than 95 per cent of ballots counted, United Russia has taken 57.83 per cent of the vote, up from the 49.8 per cent it won in 2021.
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) took first place in state elections in northeastern Germany on Sunday, voting projections showed, delivering the worst result for Chancellor Friedrich Merz's mainstream conservative party since 1949.
In a workshop in Margilan, in eastern Uzbekistan's Fergana Region, silk threads are still being transformed into brightly coloured atlas and adras fabrics using techniques passed down through generations.
An online petition is calling for singer Pink to be removed from her UNICEF role following criticism of Macklemore over his pro-Palestinian remarks during Ed Sheeran’s U.S. tour.
Ed Sheeran has broken his silence over Macklemore’s removal from his U.S. tour following the rapper’s pro-Palestinian remarks, saying the decision was made by promoters and venues rather than him.
Here’s your AnewZ Daily Brief for the 15th of September 2026. These are the top five stories making headlines in the world of culture.
The Carolina Herrera fashion house celebrated its 45th anniversary with a vibrant runway show at New York's Fashion Week on Monday, presenting its spring 2027 collection against a backdrop of sunshine-coloured tulips.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment