It amazes me how a city this serene and silent can host a festival so crazy and vibrant that it can sweep you off your feet—literally!
Holi Celebration in Pushkar has been on my mind and on my bucket list for YEARS, but for some reason, things have never worked out in my favor.
But this year I finally witnessed this unreal festival firsthand in this small town of Rajasthan.
I put together this post to share my experience, along with the bright and dark side of the Pushkar Holi Festival 2024, and what to expect if you’re going for the first time.
Pushkar Holi 2024 date — 24 March, and 25 March and the ideal time to celebrate Holi is from 8 AM to 3 PM.
Celebrating a Holi Full of Colors in Pushkar
Pushkar hosts one of the best Holi celebrations in India, which is also known as EDM Holi Worldwide and Kapda Faad (Tearing clothes) Holi in India.
Attending the Holi festival in Pushkar alone was not an option for me, so tagged along with a travel group for a 1N 2D Pushkar Holi Trip and this is how it went ~
Day 1 — Holika Dahan
After a crazy overnight journey from Delhi to Pushkar filled with dancing and drinking, we checked into our Resort.
I’ve been to Pushkar a couple of times before and believe me when I say this city has some of the most beautiful resorts.
This was a day before the Holi festival in Pushkar, i.e., March 24th, so we had a whole day to explore the city before the bizarre festival began.
With a sudden change in plans, we decided to have our pool party first to cool off the heat and let the scorching sun calm down.
The Night Before
The night before the paint fiesta is known as Holika Dahan, when a fire is lit in the main square.
The place was crowded with hundreds of people, both locals and foreigners, performing Dandiya and Gair dances.
Although I’ve traveled a lot, I’ve never seen anything like this before. Seeing people dance and sing in unison and pure bliss was an out-of-the-world experience.
I didn’t have to personally join the crowd to know just how electrifying the experience was (but of course I did).
But it didn’t just end there; if you’re thinking people weren’t playing with colors just because it’s not time yet, you’re wrong.
Pushkar Holi starts a week well in advance. I would also have participated if I was not wearing my favorite clothes.
One of the best advantages of visiting a day before is that I get to shop for however long I want and witness a breathtaking sunset on the Ghat.
And just like this, we ended our day with smiling faces and tired eyes, but hey, it was worth it and the main festival was yet to come!
Day 2 — The Festival of Colors
The second day marks the beginning of one of the craziest moments of my life. After having breakfast, oiling all the exposed body parts, and wearing white clothes, I was ready for whatever Pushkar Holi had to offer.
BEFORE….
The festival started in the town at around 8 a.m., but for some reason, we got late in visiting the main market. As a result, we were only able to celebrate it for a few hours.
One thing you need to prepare yourself for is the swarm of people. Some places are okay, but some are so crowded that it’ll be difficult to even breathe.
AFTER….
The air of the city was alive with enthusiasm, joy, and the fragrance of Gulal. The people and the roads of Pushkar were completely covered in red, orange, and pink colors.
Pushkar is a famous historical place and a religiously connected city, but surprisingly, the thumping of electronic music was very modern and Western, it was less of a traditional celebration and more of a tourist attraction.
Not only the main square, but every small alley and street was lined with drummers, speakers, and people dancing crazily.
We roamed around the whole city except the main square since I didn’t want to be trampled over by the drunk crowd.
The only escape from this crazy crowd in the city is the restaurants and the juice shops. We played for more than 5 hours before my legs finally gave up.
What to Expect — The Not So Fun Side of Celebrating Holi in Pushkar
Celebrating Holi with locals means they are going to smear your face with the powdered color, shouting ‘Happy Holi’ whether you like it or not.
Some are sensible enough to ask for your permission before coloring, but most of the drunk crowd is not.
I’m not exaggerating when I call this festival crazy and hectic. You can expect the color to get into your eyes and mouth; it’s not dangerous but definitely irritating.
One other thing you can expect is unnecessary touching, it’s sad but true. Many men will try to touch you anywhere they can under the facade of innocently playing Holi with you.
So if you’re a solo female traveler, you’ll have to take care of these things.
Tips to Prepare for Holi in Pushkar
- Book early! Everything gets booked out over the Holi weekend and even if you find something, it’ll be much more expensive. I stayed in Satyam Palace; it’s a great place, but it’s located on the outskirts of Pushkar. I would recommend you stay somewhere close to the main Pushkar market.
- You can either buy colors well in advance or from the market itself. The colors are easily available everywhere at a reasonable price (almost nothing is expensive in Pushkar as compared to Delhi).
- Protect yourself from the colors ~
- Cover your skin and hair in coconut oil (and I mean everywhere) to stop the paint from staining your skin. If you don’t have it already, you can get it easily in loads of shops in Pushkar.
- If you don’t want your hair to be rough for weeks and the Gulal to accumulate on your scalp, then cover up your hair with a cloth. Or if you don’t like it, you can just oil your hair too.
- It can get into your eyes and mouth, and you can breathe it in too so think about bringing something to cover your mouth —we made scarves out of an old sarong.
- Most people try to wear something light-colored, so the paint shows up on it best. I especially brought a white kurta just for aesthetics.
- The Holi celebration in Pushkar is insane. If you’re a guy, your clothes will probably be ripped off, so wear something old and worn off.
- Don’t bring anything with you! Protect your phone or a camera if you want to bring it properly in a plastic bag. Since my friend’s phone got taken away in the crowd, make sure to have it secured in your pocket.
- If you are a foreigner in India, make sure to have cash with you everywhere you go to properly follow the Indian money guide.
Final Words
The Pushkar Holi experience was something I will never forget. The memories I made and the stories I collected throughout the Pushkar Holi Trip were worth every penny I spent.
No matter what you have in mind regarding the festival, it’s going to everything and more. Take all the precautions and keep your belongings safe while playing your heart out in this serene lake city.
Which Holi is celebrated in Pushkar?
Many different kinds of Holi are celebrated in India, but the one celebrated in Pushkar is called Kapda Faad Holi, which means tearing clothes.
Why is Pushkar Holi famous?
Pushkar Holi is You can celebrate Holi with strangers in Pushkar which is organized every year by the Tourism Department of Rajasthan.
Which food is famous in Pushkar Holi?
Foods like Thandai and Gujiya are famous during Holi, also while you are in Pushkar don’t forget to have Dal Baati Churma which is the authentic dish of Rajasthan.
