Q&A: Talking with Abdulmajed.
They throw water in Mathura-Vrindavan! What about your camera?
Mathura-Vrindavan is an extremely lively place to celebrate Holi. Mathura is one of the top visited places for the
Holi festival because it is where the festival originated. Here, they go all out for Holi. Located in North India in the
state of Uttar, Mathura is the birthplace of Lord Krishna. Each major Krishna temple in Mathura celebrates Holi on
a different day. To get a sense of Holi in Mathura we spoke with 25 year old Abdulmajed, about his experience in
the festival’s origin city.
Why did you choose to celebrate in Mathura?
Really, because my research it said the best place to do photography is there. It was the best city to do what I want.
I came with two of my friends and it is where we agree upon to celebrate. Really I enjoy there, I enjoy a lot. I don’t
know how to explain. They never stop celebrating full temples of people and color. Banke-Bihari Temple is best.
There they throw color powder, liquids color, flowers and water it is really nice.
You say they never stop, what time does Holi start?
The best time for the Holi in Mathura is not one day or specific time. It is like for one week, they start from I
don’t know 5 days before the biggest day (the one day everyone in India celebrates). I remember when I reached
Mathura the biggest day of color started from 9:00 in the morning until 8:00 in the night. There are some places in
that keep playing until the midnight and the next day is same, 9:00 until 8:00 in the evening. They celebrate in the
temples even, it is amazing.
Would you go back or would you want to celebrate in another place?
This was a good place for my first Holi you feel the important tradition because you are in the temples and they is
singing too, making blessings for the God and traditional dancing. Next time I will try something new place.
Did people respect that you had a camera and refrain from throwing color or water at you?
Umm, they tried to throw on me water. I told them no, I have a camera and they respect that and they stop it. Who
has a camera, they do not throw water on him.
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