Lathmar Holi, one of India's most unique and centuries-old Holi celebrations, is celebrated in the Braj region prior to the main festival of colours.
In Barsana, Uttar Pradesh, a light-hearted folk song set the mood as preparations got underway.
Men assembled early in Nandgaon, which is believed to have been the childhood home of Lord Krishna, with wooden shields slung over their shoulders and tightly wrapped turbans around their heads. As they get ready for the customary trip to Barsana, the village connected to Radha, the headdress acts as a protective and honouring symbol.
The men approach Radha Rani's temple, where the yearly custom takes place, guided by devotion and ritual.
The event symbolically re-enacts the legendary romance of Radha and Krishna, recalling tales in which Krishna and his companions would visit Barsana to play Holi, only to be playfully chased away by Radha and her friends, the Gopis, wielding sticks.
Krishna Goswami, resident of Nandgaon says, "At Barsana's Pili Pokhar, we are getting a paagh tied (traditional turban) on our heads as a form of protection. From here, carrying flags in our hands, we will proceed directly towards Radha Rani's palace. After offering darshan there and singing a few songs, we will come down to the main ground where Lathmar Holi begins. There, the sakhis and bhabhis (women) of Barsana welcome us with sticks."
"We have been carrying forward this tradition to this day, believing that the only true bond was that of Shri Radha and Krishna - the first and the last of its kind," said another resident
For participants, the ritual strikes are not seen as acts of aggression, but as divine blessings - expressions of Radha's love for Krishna, preserved through generations.
Meanwhile, another local says, "This is not beating - this is the love of Radha Rani. That love falls upon us, and through it our soul and our life feel fulfilled and blessed."
As part of celebrations, women from Barsana greet the visiting men with coloured powders, laughter and symbolic stick blows, continuing a ritualised form of playful retaliation rooted in mythology.
Every year, thousands of people come to the festival that has been going on for hundreds of years. Holi will be celebrated all over India on March 4, but the Braj region has already started celebrating. In the pilgrim towns of Vrindavan and Mathura, tradition and devotion shape the days leading up to the festival of colours.