Leave the men at home for an experience only for women – Mahila Holi is a weeklong celebration before the festival of colours. Village women visit a different house daily to celebrate spring’s coming. What follows is song, dance, good food and a lot of fun. Experience a unique side of Kumaoni Holi in March.
We visit the village of Salla Rautela and watch the celebrations this March. The celebration starts one week before Holi at the village temple. After this, for seven days, the party moves from one house to the next singing songs, savouring sweets and in general revelry.
Men are generally not present during this time and it is just a celebration for the women by the women of the village.
So spend 3 nights in Nayalap and witness this unique event. The first day would be spent travelling to Nayalap. The next two days would be spent travelling with the locals from one home to the other to witness this event.
Make a trip out of Holi
| Day 1 | Drive to Corbett National Park. In the afternoon, go for a safari. |
| Day 2 | Drive to Nayalap. In the afternoon, go for a sunset walk. |
| Day 3 | During the day, visit a neighbour’s home for Mahila Holi. |
| Day 4 | During the day, go for a guided walk to the forests of Shitlakhet. |
| Day 5 | Drive back to Nainital. In the afternoon, go for a walk along the lake. |
| Day 6 | Drive back to Delhi or your next destination. |
Nayalap is a 10hr drive from Delhi and 3hrs from Kathgodam Station. If you can’t make it for Holi, visit Nayalap during the Ramleela.