"The streets of Barsana came alive with music, colour and devotion on Wednesday as thousands of Hindu devotees from across India gathered in the small Uttar Pradesh town for ‘Lathmar Holi’, or the ‘Holi of Sticks’ festivities. The highlight of the festival is when women playfully beat men from the neighbouring town with bamboo sticks, while men protect themselves with leather shields. Footage shows men protecting themselves with leather shields as women playfully beat them with bamboo sticks. Hindu devotees covered in coloured paints take part in dancing, drumming and festive celebrations. “There are cowherds from Nandgaon and cowherds from Barsana [...] When the sticks rain down on the shields, the cowherds bear the blows. The women strike with sticks; it's quite a game,” Suresh, a local, explained. “Tomorrow, the boys of our village will go to Nandgaon and the girls there will play Holi with them in the same way,” he added. Accepting the invitation for Holi, men wearing traditional dhotis, armbands and heavy turbans await the women with shields in hand. Women adorned in saris and jewellery then take charge. It is believed that even the touch of the sticks of the devoted cowherd brings good fortune. “Today is the festival of Radha Rani. It is Barsana Holi, and it is very special. It is very famous all over India. I have been playing it for 32 years,” a woman cowherd noted. “I have come from the US to see Ladli Ju (Hindu goddess) and to celebrate the festival of Holi. Today is Lathmar Holi. It's my first time here, and so far, it has been absolutely delightful,” said Anamika, a Hindu devotee. Festivalgoers also took part in other traditional activities and performances, including applying colour to one another and dancing. 'Lathmar Holi' is celebrated in the towns of Barsana and Nandgaon, also known as 'Radha' and 'Krishna'. In Hindu legend, Lord Krishna, from Nandgaon, is believed to have tried to spray his beloved Radha and her friends with powder, but they managed to drive him and his friends out of Barsana with their sticks — a scene that is recreated annually during the festival."