Group of women in white and red sarees joyfully celebrating Holi, throwing colourful powder in the air during a vibrant outdoor festival scene.
A bedroom featuring a four-poster bed, a large window with sheer curtains, a wall mural, and polished wooden floors, under a recessed ceiling with soft lighting | Dileep Kothi, Jaipur

A room at Dileep Kothi, Jaipur, with a four poster double bed, side tables with night lamps, French windows, and a red wall behind the bed

A well-lit bedroom at Fort Barli, featuring a vibrant orange bedspread, a crystal chandelier, and antique furniture, offers a spacious and elegant retreat.

A bright dining area at Fort Barli, featuring arched doorways, checkered floors, and a window seat, blends architectural charm with a cosy meal setting.

A luxuriously decorated bed at Umaid Vilas Jaipur with ornate elephant sculptures at its foot, showcasing traditional Indian design.

A bedroom with a red sofa, decorative wardrobe, wooden doors, and arched architectural details | Dera Rawatsar, Jaipur

A living room with green and yellow sofas, colourful cushions, framed artwork, a chandelier, and a dark rug at Dera Rawatsar, Jaipur

A bedroom with a four-poster bed, patterned bedding, and ornate armchairs | Dera Rawatsar, Jaipur

A room with a window seat, colourful cushions, a coffee table, and arched architectural details | Dera Rawatsar, Jaipur

Celebrating Holi at Fort Barli: Tradition, Community, and Colour

Holi—the festival of colours, the celebration of spring, the day when all of India erupts into joyful chaos—looks different depending on where you experience it. In cities, it's often loud, commercial, and overwhelming. At Fort Barli, it's something else entirely: traditional, intimate, and deeply rooted in community.

This year, Fort Barli invites guests to experience Holi as it's been celebrated in rural Rajasthan for generations—not as spectacle, but as genuine cultural immersion where everyone participates as equals, where local traditions are honoured, and where the festival's meaning is as important as its spectacle.

Two people dressed in orange turbans and pink garments, faces and clothes covered in bright Holi powders, smiling together in front of a cultural building backdrop.

Morning: Music and Tradition

Holi at Fort Barli begins with folk musicians gathering in the courtyard as morning light filters through ancient arches. The sounds are traditional Rajasthani—drums, vocals, and the rare algoza, a double flute played by one of the few remaining musicians who've mastered this slowly disappearing folk art.

The algoza's distinctive sound is becoming increasingly rare as younger generations pursue other livelihoods. Hearing it at Fort Barli isn't just entertainment; it's witnessing a cultural tradition that may not survive another generation, preserved here through the family's commitment to authentic celebration.

We dress up our guests in the traditional Phag colours of red and white before the festivities begin and share the significance of Holi—the stories of Prahlad and Holika, the triumph of good over evil, the celebration of spring's arrival, the social levelling that happens when everyone is covered in the same colours.

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Two individuals celebrating Holi outdoors, one in a colourful turban and traditional attire, the other in a checkered shirt, both covered in powders and raising arms joyfully.
Person smiling in traditional attire with flower garlands, face and clothes covered in vibrant Holi powders, standing near a stone pavement.

Colours, Community, and Joy

When the colours begin, everyone participates—guests, staff, and villagers from Barli who join the celebration organically, as they have for years.

Fort Barli sources traditional hollow spheres of lac colour bombs from Jaipur—hollow spheres filled with coloured powder that explode on impact, creating dramatic bursts of colour. These aren't mass-produced synthetic alternatives but traditional craft objects made by artisans using techniques passed through generations. The atmosphere is joyful but never chaotic. Music continues throughout, laughter fills the courtyard, and the fort's pale stone walls become increasingly vibrant as colour settles everywhere. By afternoon, everyone is thoroughly covered.

Why Celebrating Holi in a Traditional Way Matters

When the colours begin, everyone participates—guests, staff, and villagers from Barli who join the celebration organically, as they have for years.

Fort Barli sources traditional hollow spheres of lac colour bombs from Jaipur—hollow spheres filled with coloured powder that explode on impact, creating dramatic bursts of colour. These aren't mass-produced synthetic alternatives but traditional craft objects made by artisans using techniques passed through generations. The atmosphere is joyful but never chaotic. Music continues throughout, laughter fills the courtyard, and the fort's pale stone walls become increasingly vibrant as colour settles everywhere. By afternoon, everyone is thoroughly covered.

Group of men and women in white and red traditional attire with turbans and flower garlands, standing outdoors on grass in a festive garden setting.
Friends gathered around a candlelit table with festive decorations, celebrating Holi with food and togetherness.

Evening Meal in the Rani Mahal

As the sun sets and energy shifts from exuberant to content, guests gather for a candlelit royal dinner in the Rani Mahal—Fort Barli's old fresco-painted dining space that once served as the queen's quarters.

The setting is extraordinary: centuries-old wall paintings illuminated by candlelight, traditional seating arranged around the courtyard, and festive Rajasthani cuisine showcasing the region's culinary heritage. The setting is extraordinary: centuries-old wall paintings illuminated by candlelight, traditional seating arranged around the courtyard, and festive Rajasthani cuisine showcasing the region's culinary heritage. This is where Holi's celebratory spirit continues in quieter, more intimate form, surrounded by architecture that connects directly to the fort's royal history.

The dinner menu features Holi-specific dishes and Rajasthani specialities, all prepared using traditional recipes and methods. It's the perfect conclusion to a day that's been physically active, emotionally engaging, and culturally rich.

Why Experience Holi at Fort Barli

If you're considering where to experience Holi in India, Fort Barli offers something increasingly rare: authenticity without compromise.

You won't find commercial excess or tourist crowds. Instead, you'll participate in genuine community celebration, witness disappearing folk arts, learn cultural significance from hosts who've lived these traditions their entire lives, and experience the festival in a setting—a centuries-old residential fort—that's intimately connected to Rajasthan's heritage. If you're planning travel to Rajasthan around Holi, which falls on 3rd March this year, this is how to experience the festival meaningfully.

Group of people in colourful attire enjoying a festive meal inside a decorated traditional Indian setting during Holi.
Tray of vibrant Holi powders (gulal) and bowls of sweets placed on grass, symbolising the festival’s colours and treats.

Book your Holi celebration at Fort Barli and experience India's most colourful festival as it's meant to be celebrated—with tradition, community, and joy.

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