LATHMAR HOLI (3) SHRI NANDBABA TEMPLE
NANDGAON - UTTAR PRADESH - INDIA
2020
The main event on the second day of the Lathmar Holi Festival takes place in the Shri Nandbaba Temple in Nandgaon. Our guide, Puru Sharma, has experienced the Lathmar Holi celebrations on numerous occasions and his knowledge once again enabled us to be in the right place at the right time to capture more great images of the extremely colourful and wild celebrations of the two-day festival.
Shri Nandbaba Temple
This Hindu temple was built in the 19th Century by Raja Rupa Singh and is located at the top of Nandishwar Hill in the village of Nandgaon, in the state of Uttar Pradesh.
Thousands of Hindu devotees celebrate Holi, the spring festival of colours, during this annual gathering.
People smeared in colour enjoy the party atmosphere.
The large crowd packs into the temple courtyard.
Transgender Hindu devotees dance during the celebrations.
Clouds of coloured powder and flowers explode into the air.
Hundreds of people pack into the temple courtyard and crowds watch this stunning spectacle from the balcony above.
People from all across India and around the world join the locals (including Anne in the yellow/orange prayer shawl !!), to watch the spectacle unfold below them.
Some of the individuals taking part in the colourful event.
The frenzied crowd sing and dance in celebration.
Groups of rowdy young men dance to the hypnotic beat of the drums.
Everywhere you look there's a vibrant display of colour.
Thick clouds of colour fill the air and water is thrown from buckets and sprayed from water guns.(Note: it essential to protect your camera with plastic bags or clingfilm!)
A riot of colour fills the air in every direction.
Men from both the villages of Nandgaon and Barsana sit across from each other and sing Holi songs. The gathering is known as 'samaaj'.
Hindu devotees are doused with coloured water and powder.
Direct hit!! Protecting your equipment is essential.
Photographs ©Don Davies
Video © Anne Davies
