Holi is one of the major festivals of India and is celebrated in most of the states of India. However, each region has its own variations of Holi with a large local influence. Let's take a look at how Holi is celebrated in different states and regions of India:

North India:
Lord Krishna spent most of his childhood in Mathura and Vrindavana. He was the one to introduce the modern form of Holi and thus Holi is celebrated with great enthusiasm at these places for about a week. Situated in Uttar Pradesh, all the major temples of the region dedicated to Krishna and Radha celebrate Holi on a different day. In these parts celebrating Holi means getting drenched with colored water during these celebrations is considered to be a blessing from god and is considered auspicious. Since Radha belonged to Barsana while Krishna belonged to Nandagaon, on the day of Holi, men from Nandagaon go to Barsana to celebrate Holi with the women there. The playful teasing of women and attempts to color them with 'gulal' and wet colors from 'pichkari' is returned by them by attempts to escape and beating the men with sticks to scamper them away.

Haryana:
In Haryana, the brides of the Hindu undivided families hang a pot of buttermilk high up in the streets as a challenge to their brother-in-laws, who try to get ot break the pot by forming a human pyramid to reach it. Women try to stop them by beating them with their saris rolled up as ropes. This mock-drama is staged to commemorate the playful pranks of child Krishna, who would steal milk, butter and curd from the cow maids' houses. In the evening, the brother-in-laws bring sweetmeats for the women of the house for their contribution in keeping the family united.

Western India:
Like Haryana, Maharashtra and Gujarat also has mock-drama of Krishna trying to break the pots and steal the butter. Besides, the men of these states take out a grand procession while soaked with colored water as they walk through the streets to make a mock alert call to ask people and women of the house to take care of their pots of butter and milk as Krishna may come in and steal them.

Eastern India:
In Bengal, Holi is called Dol Yatra (the Swing Festival) in which idols of Krishna and Radha are placed on swings and devotees take turns to swing them. Women perform devotional songs and dances around the swing as men spray colored water and 'Abeer' (colored powder) on them. However, the tradition is being lost in the modern wave and people play with colored water and powders in the morning and then take out processions on the streets with music and drums while stained with Holi colors. Orissa has similar traditions as Bengal except for the fact that the idols of Jagannath is placed on the swing here instead of Krishna and Radha, who is believed to be another form of Krishna.

Rabindranath Tagore, the Noble laureate from India, revived Holi as the Spring festival by introducing 'Vasanta Utsav' in his Shantiniketan or Bishwabharati University, which is celebrated in a very special way. Students and youths dress up in bright colorful dresses such as yellow and stage a number of cultural programs involving group choreography, songs and dance followed by playing Holi with 'Abeer' (colored powder). Today, Vasanta Utsav has become an important part of the Bengali culture.

North East:
Holi is a six-day long in Manipur and commences on the full moon day of Phalguna. In the 18th century, it merged with the traditional and centuries-old Yaosang festival of Manipur. In earlier times, there were folk songs and dance performances under the moonlight accompanied by the indigenous drums. Today, modern musical instruments have replaced the drums and fluorescent lamps have replaced the moonlight. Days before, people collect money from the community for the expenses on the festivities. A thatched hut of hay, twigs and sticks is built, only to be set ablaze. Next morning, groups of boys go to play 'gulal' with the girls and pay them money to get the favor. Devotees play 'gulal', sing devotional songs and dance in front of the Krishna temple dressed in the traditional white and yellow turban. On the last day of the festival, a grand procession is taken out to the main Krishna temple in the capital of Manipur, Imphal where multitude of cultural programs take place.