Laddu Holi Barsana 2027: Date, the Temple and How to Plan

Barsana Laddu Holi 2027: event details

Laddu Holi Barsana 2027: the date

Laddu Holi at Barsana in 2027 is on Monday, 15 March, at the historic Shri Radha Rani temple in Barsana, the day before the famous Lathmar Holi at Barsana on 16 March. It is the sweet Holi that marks the traditional opening of the week-long Holi festivities of Braj, celebrated with a joyful shower of laddus and traditional bhajans in the temple courtyard. It begins the great forty-day Holi season of Braj, so a Holi journey to Braj is best understood as a festival across several towns and days, not one afternoon. To be at Barsana for the Laddu Holi and the Lathmar Holi that follows, with a Braj guide who knows the safe places to watch, a mathura vrindavan tour with Experience My India can plan it.

From the ground (Gurudutt): Laddu Holi is where the whole Braj Holi begins and it is a beautiful thing; the invitation comes from Nandgaon, we accept it at Kishori Ji's temple and then the laddus fly, sweets and colour showering over everyone, with the bhajans ringing. It is a little gentler than the Lathmar Holi the next day and many of my guests love to come a day early for it. It is my own land and I host guests every year, so come on the 15th of March and begin your Holi with the sweet one. Radhe Radhe.

What is Laddu Holi?

Laddu Holi, the Holi of sweets, is the joyful opening of the Braj Holi, kept at the Radha Rani temple of Barsana:

• The acceptance of the invitation. By tradition, the invitation to play the Holi is brought from Nandgaon, Krishna's town, to Barsana, Radha's town; when it is joyfully accepted at the Radha Rani temple and the invitation for the Lathmar Holi sent back, the happy occasion is celebrated with Laddu Holi.

• The shower of sweets. In celebration, the priests and devotees joyfully toss and shower sweet laddus over the crowd in the temple courtyard, in a rain of sweets and colour, while traditional bhajans and the samaj-gayan singing ring out; it is a beautiful, joyful scene.

• The opening of the Braj Holi. Laddu Holi marks the true, traditional opening of the week-long Holi festivities of Braj; it is a little gentler than the Lathmar Holi that follows the next day, but full of delight and it begins the greatest Holi season in India.

For the twin towns of Radha and Krishna whose exchange it celebrates, see our barsana vs nandgaon guide and the radha rani aarti lyrics of the temple.

The Radha Rani temple, the venue

Laddu Holi is held at the great Radha Rani temple, the heart of Barsana:

The Shriji temple on the hill. The Radha Rani temple, the Shriji temple, crowns the hill of Barsana, Radha's own town in the west of Braj, reached by a climb of steps or a palki; there Radha, as Kishori Ji, is the presiding deity and it is the great centre of Radha devotion.

The courtyard of the Laddu Holi. It is in the temple and its courtyards, high on the hill, that the Laddu Holi is celebrated, the laddus showered and the bhajans sung; the setting, on Radha's hill above the plains of Braj, makes it especially beautiful.

Dear all year, dearest at Holi and Radhashtami. The Radha Rani temple is dear all year and dearest of all at the Holi and at Radhashtami, Radha's appearance day; for the Laddu Holi, it fills with devotees for the joyful opening of the Braj Holi.

See our radha rani temple barsana page for the temple and its darshan.

Laddu Holi and the Lathmar Holi that follows

Laddu Holi is the first of the great Barsana Holi days, followed by the famous Lathmar Holi. In 2027, the sequence is:

• Laddu Holi at Barsana, 15 March. The sweet Holi, the joyful acceptance of the invitation and the shower of laddus at the Radha Rani temple; the opening of the Braj Holi.

• Lathmar Holi at Barsana, 16 March. The famous stick Holi, when the men of Nandgaon come to Barsana and the women of Barsana drive them off with lath; the great, most famous day.

• Lathmar Holi at Nandgaon, 17 March. The return of the play at Krishna's town, when the men of Barsana go to Nandgaon and its women return the play.

See our lathmar holi barsana 2027 guide for the 16 March stick Holi and our lathmar holi nandgaon 2027 guide for the 17 March return at Nandgaon.

The Braj Holi 2027 calendar

Laddu Holi opens weeks of Holi celebration across Braj. The main events of the 2027 Braj Holi journey:

• Laddu Holi at Barsana, 15 March. The sweet Holi, the opening, when laddus are showered at the Radha Rani temple.

• Lathmar Holi at Barsana, 16 March. The famous stick Holi, when the men of Nandgaon come to Barsana.

• Lathmar Holi at Nandgaon, 17 March. The return of the play at Krishna's town, the day after Barsana.

• Phoolon ki Holi at Vrindavan. The beautiful flower Holi, above all at the Banke Bihari temple, where the priests shower the crowd with flower petals; a gentler, exquisite Holi.

• Holika Dahan and the main Holi. Holika Dahan on 21 March and the great Rangwali Holi, the main day of colour, on 22 March 2027, across Braj and all India; and the Dauji Huranga at nearby Baldeo just after, around 23 March.

The flower Holi is at the banke bihari temple and the temple Holi at the dwarkadhish temple of Mathura and the temples of gokul.

How to experience Laddu Holi safely

Laddu Holi is joyful but very crowded, high on the temple hill, so plan for it with care:

• Watch from a safe spot. The temple courtyard, where the laddus are showered and the crowd is thickest, gets very crowded and intense; watch from a safe spot, an edge or a place your guide knows, rather than the heart of the crush, especially with family, children or elders.

• Mind the climb. The Radha Rani temple crowns the hill, reached by a climb of steps or a palki, which is busy at Holi; wear comfortable shoes, carry water, go early and take your time on the climb, especially with elders.

• Go with a local and protect your things. Go with a Braj local who knows the day, the safe spots and the way up and down; wear old clothes you do not mind colouring, protect your eyes and skin and keep phones and valuables in a sealed bag.

How to reach Barsana and plan your trip

Barsana lies in the west of Braj and a Holi trip takes planning:

• Reaching Barsana. Barsana is about 45 to 50 km from Vrindavan and Mathura, about an hour and a half by road; at Holi the roads are very busy and often closed near the town, so plan transport and arrival carefully and start early. The Radha Rani temple crowns the hill, reached by a climb or a palki.

• Where to base. Most travellers base themselves in Vrindavan or Mathura and make day trips to Barsana for the Laddu Holi on the 15th and the Lathmar Holi on the 16th and Nandgaon on the 17th; book stays very early, for Holi is the busiest season in Braj.

• See the sequence. Many travellers come a day early for the Laddu Holi on the 15th and stay for the Lathmar Holi on the 16th and Nandgaon on the 17th; allow at least three or four days for the whole Braj Holi.

See our how to commute in vrindavan guide for reaching Barsana and our mathura vrindavan tour itinerary for planning your days.

Best tips for Laddu Holi

• Note the sequence: Laddu Holi at Barsana on 15 March, Lathmar Holi at Barsana on 16 March and Lathmar Holi at Nandgaon on 17 March 2027; come a day early for the sweet Holi.

• Laddu Holi is at the Radha Rani temple on the hill, so wear comfortable shoes for the climb, carry water and go early.

• Book your stay in Vrindavan or Mathura very early; Holi is the busiest season in Braj and rooms fill months ahead.

• Go with a Braj local who knows the safe places to watch and the road closures; it makes the difference between chaos and joy.

• Wear old clothes, protect your eyes, skin and hair, keep valuables in a sealed bag and watch from a safe spot, especially with family.

We host guests for the Barsana Laddu Holi and Lathmar Holi and the whole Braj Holi every year and can plan and guide your 2027 trip, with a comfortable vehicle, the climb or palki arranged, the safe places to watch and a Braj-born host who welcomes you as family. A shared day tour starts from around ₹1,499 per person, with darshan free and we arrange bespoke Holi trips too. The braj 84 kos yatra covers the whole of Braj, our mathura vrindavan tour the twin cities and our vrindavan tour package Vrindavan in a day; the prem mandir vrindavan and the braj yamuna ghats and leela sites are dear year-round. Message me on WhatsApp at +91-7302265809 to plan your Holi and book early, as Holi fills fast.

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