Travel & Humanitarian Photos
Holi is a time of indulgence, a time to abandon the usual gender rules and restrictions, a time when the familiar constraints of social etiquette give way to exuberant, energetic and exhilarating celebrations. It’s a full-on, non-stop, free-for-all where the standard rules of engagement are abandoned. Holi is not for the faint-hearted.
Research before leaving Bangkok revealed that photographing Holi would be a challenging job. Not only would there be the issue of protecting camera gear from the colourful powders and water that are customarily thrown around during the celebrations, I was also aware of an implied suggestion that Holi celebrations can verge on the unruly. However, nothing could really have prepared me for the giddily flamboyant manner in which devotees launch themselves into their celebrations of Holi.
Firstly, for those of you interested in the technicalities, I went in search of some robust camera protection before leaving Thailand. The Kata E-702 Rain Cover proved to be exactly what I was looking for and I’m grateful to Poras Chaudhary for pointing me in the right direction and doubly grateful to the very nice people at Diethelm Travel in India for going above and beyond the call of duty to purchase covers for me in Delhi when I’d exhausted the stock in Bangkok. Looking at these covers now, lying on the floor of a Delhi hotel room, they look stained, battered and somewhat battle-scarred. My cameras, however, are pretty much without a mark and that’s a huge endorsement for the Kata covers given the potential damage that my gear might have suffered. It was possible to photograph easily enough using these bags, even in the midst of the swirling crowds and the bags proved to be well worth every penny of the investment.
If your image of the Holi festival is one of a playful celebration, a mischievous frolic where the participants douse each other with handfuls of coloured powder then you are partly correct. Holi is playful and many of the events in the “Krishna Belt” towns of Mathura, Barsana, Nandgaon and Vrindavan are a delight to attend. The transformation that takes place seems to be universal and everything from the crowds of people, the streets, shop fronts and even the sacred cows that meander through the towns become splashed with colour. Scarlet red is dominant but vivid yellows and vibrant greens adorn everything, making it seem as if you are viewing the world through an especially brightly-coloured kaleidoscope.
Every street in Barsana was busy when I arrived. Family groups strode towards the hilltop temple alongside lines of holy Saddhu pilgrims. Lining the streets and lurking on overhead balconies and rooftops were groups of revellers waiting to pounce on passers-by. Some had armed themselves with water balloons filled with coloured water. Others were wielding bags of the coloured powder whilst the more serious colourists were equipped with bicycle-pumps or custom-made water cannons designed to expel the maximum amount of colour as swiftly as possible. Street corners became venues for ambushes and were invariably where the most highly-spirited groups of young men chose to base themselves. At one temple, we even saw an especially enthusiastic young man employing a large pesticide sprayer from a giant container on his back but he was eventually disarmed by a group of disgruntled policemen who must have felt that this approach was taking the “game” to unfair extremes.
One thing is certain, if you come to Holi expecting to be able to avoid a dousing then not only are you going to be sorely disappointed but you are also guilty of missing the point entirely. Holi is about participation and you have to come prepared to get in the swing. Westerners are, perhaps predictably, obvious targets and I quickly discovered that many of the Holi revellers were prepared to go out of their way to ensure that I had felt the full benefit of what Holi has to offer. Let me tell you, by the time you’ve rinsed coloured powder out of your hair, ears, eyes and mouth, you feel like you’ve been given very special treatment indeed! The picture of Ms. Fisher below was taken roughly ten minutes after our arrival in Barsana on the second day of shooting the festival. You get the picture!
If the energy level on the streets was high then it reached a deafening crescendo in the temples of Barsana and Nandgaon where devotees danced, swirled, crowded and crushed each other as their levels of excitement grew.
It takes a very brave man (or an especially intrepid travel photographer) to descend from the safety of a rooftop viewpoint to photograph the crowds with a wide-angle lens. Here’s a couple I took at the wide end of my 16-35mm 
For sure, Holi is fun but there is a sense that it is a time when the usual rules and restrictions are lifted. There are tales, possibly apocryphal, of powder being treated with dye to make it stain and of coloured liquids receiving certain unpleasant additives. We did witness one ill-prepared group of photographers attempting to protect camera gear beneath hastily employed T-shirts and the panicked look on their faces bore testament to the fact that if you’re coming to Holi to take pictures then you’d better be prepared to sacrifice your camera gear in the process. This isn’t a festival for the faint-hearted but that’s the point, it isn’t supposed to be. Holi celebrates change, liberty, freedom from constraints and controls and results in a boisterous and high-spirited but mostly good natured affair.
I enjoy the sense of having worked hard for my images and love the satisfaction that comes from having toiled beyond the point at which others might have given up – Holi gave me more than enough opportunities to enjoy that sense of satisfaction, which may or may not be an endorsement. You can see the images and judge for yourself.
I don't usually dress for work like this. Honestly.
Wonderful photographs. I’m super jealous–I’ve been wanting to photograph Holi for some time now. Congrats on capturing the spirit of the festival. John
Having been to Mathura twice to shoot the celebrations I know exactly what you mean by when you say nothing can prepare you for it, it truly is an insane onslaught on the senses. Your images are fantastic, love the first shot, keep up the great work!!
Beautiful shots…You are one brave dude with you camera gear there!
GREAT images Gavin. Thanks for taking us along for the ride!
Wonderful! Love the writing and the pictures – and not a cup of tea in sight!
Fascinating. Wonderful. Thanks for sharing.
Great photographs! Looks like you had a good time.
Fantastic. Just brilliant – well done Gavin. I particularly enjoyed your commentary.
Thanks, Gavin for so bright immersion into Holi festival!
Hope to see you on next BPC meet-up..
Looks like quite an adventure! I love the rainbow-like progression of colors on Lesley’s shirt. The vividness of this whole thing is stunning!
No risk… no reward. Beautiful job. You narration is just as fun as your photographs.
[...] Holi Hai – Images of India’s most colourful festival by Gavin Gough [...]
I think you work is fabulous
What are the dates for Holi Hai festival in 2012 ,
I am also interested in your bangkok photography tours
Nice series Gavin, great job.
Thank you for sharing your approach to photography through the crazy Holi festival.
I went there last year to photography as well, in Vrindavan and Mathura. Unforgettable !
Great work, Gavin. And thanks for describing what you used to protect the cameras and lenses. But what about the front element of the lenses? If they got hit by the powder, did the stuff come off easily with a lens cloth?
Keep up the good work.