With only a few days remaining for the festival of Holi, the preparations for the 4-days of splendid Holika Dahan Festival at the City Palace Udaipur premises are on the roll.

Other than the traditional Holika Dahan Ceremony, The Fest includes Rangoli – A food festival, Colors – a painting exhibition, Rang 2013 and several musical and dance performances by famous classical Indian dancers, vocalists and musicians.

The Holika Dahan Ceremony held at the Manek Chowk, witnesses a magnificent palace procession, observe royal etiquette and ritual as you look upon the royal parade in their traditional attire-finely liveried palace staff, elegantly bedecked horses and the impeccably turned out band that leads the cavalcade through the Palace from the Royal residence to Manek Chowk.

After the religious ceremonies, an effigy of the fraudulent Holika is burnt in the traditional sacred fire. This is followed by local people performing the ‘Gair’, a traditional folk dance performed specially on the occasion.

The other events and their timings are as follows:-

Rang 2013 Celebrating the tones and hues of our living heritage – Inauguration Ceremony Venue: The Sabha Shiromani Ka Darikhana Date: 23rd – 25th March 2013 Time: 10:00 am to 4:30 pm

Rangoli – A food festival This is an initiative by Palki Khana restaurant, a part of the HRH Group of Hotels. At Rangoli, one can enjoy colourful food and beverages influenced by the hues of the auspicious festival of colours, Holi.

The plate, with an array of colourful chaats and street food at the cover charge of Rs. 550 all inclusive per person in a relaxed and mesmerizing view of the magnificent City Palace, would be a sheer bliss.

Venue: Palki Khana Restaurant, Shiv Niwas Palace, Udaipur Date: 23rd-25 th March 2013 Time: 10.00 am to 04.00 pm

Colors – A Painting Exhibition Venue: The Exhibit Gallery, The Zenana Mahal Date: 23rd – 26th March 2013 Time: 10:00 am to 4:30 pm

Musical Performances

In the musical evenings, on 23rd March Swati Sinha will perform Kathak Dance in the evening at 6:30 PM while on 24th March three artists, Ramkrishna Bose (Santoor Player), Mamta Sharma (Vocalist) and Shashwati Mandal Paul (Vocalist)will pleasure the audience with their ecstatic presentations.

On 25th March, dancers from Kathak Kendra (National Institute of Kathak Dance, New Delhi) will present ‘Hori Dhoom Machao Ri’ while, on the last day of the festival, Gypsy Roots will present Nomadic dances from around the world including Kalbeliya dance of Thar Desert region in Rajasthan.

For more details and for attending the events, please visit the link: – http://www.eternalmewar.in/Holika-Dahan-Festival-2013/Index.html