Holi is one of the most vivid and colourful Indian festivals. The festival marks the beginning of spring after a long winter. It’s the most joyous celebration in India, with people running around in brightly coloured clothes and water balloons soaking everyone in sight. There is a long list of Holi Indian food menus. With everyone so happy and energised for Holi, this is the perfect time to binge on all sorts of sweets & snacks. And suppose you are one of those people who prefer to take a train journey back home to celebrate Holi. In that case, you have a large assortment of traditional Holi foods to enjoy on train via IRCTC eCatering services!
There’s a general feeling that this festival can bring out the nostalgic side in everybody. Many like visiting their ancestral villages and making the most of the experience. Holi reconnects individuals to their roots. It is a festival & holiday that cultivates love, fun-filled, food-loving culture.
Legends and folktales around Prahlad and Hiranyakashipu are often mentioned in connection with Holi. There are several tales concerning Lord Krishna and Radha too. Holi represents the triumph of good over evil. It is a day when people forgive, forget, and expel the negative energies in their life to begin over.On the eve of the celebration, also known as Chhoti Holi or Holika Dahan, enormous bonfires are lit across the nation to represent the time when virtue prevailed over evil. Participants perform rituals and toss dry leaves, wood, and twigs onto the fire. Holika Dahan is followed by the main holiday of Holi or Rangwali Holi, during which people fling coloured powder into the air, turning the streets and cities colourful. Everyone applies gulal and sprinkles coloured water on each other.
Many people journey back to their homes from around the country during Holi or visit special Holi destinations to experience & enjoy the festivity. It’s that time of year when life is all about enjoying the festival with loved ones, and nothing else matters. This joyful event ushers in spring and represents the victory of good over evil, making it a sign of hope, love, and joy. Most of them choose to commute by train and require some delicious meals to help them get through the long and tedious journey.
While visiting family members, people enjoy a variety of traditional sweet and savoury foods. Although Indian cuisine differs by region, several traditional delicacies are loved by everybody throughout this joyous celebration. Because Holi means having fun and eating delicious sweets, IRCTC eCatering recommends the following traditional Holi foods to enjoy on train:
Gujiya – the most important among traditional Holi foods
A must-have for this auspicious occasion is the traditional Holi dessert Gujiya. This delicacy will bring back childhood memories of Holi, thanks to its mouth-watering fillings and crunchy exterior. Despite its northern focus, its popularity and appeal span all of India. You can make these deep-fried sweet dumplings using flour, semolina, and dried fruits, frying them in ghee and dipping them in sugar syrup.
Rasmalai
How can you ignore the Rasmalai on Holi? This delicacy defines sweet goodness—a creamy pleasure with mouth-watering Chenna. These delicious chenna balls, dipped in a creamy milky syrup, have their roots in West Bengal.
Barfi
Barfi is another contender among traditional Holi foods. The entire nation consumes a lot of this traditional treat, especially on important occasions. In Persian, the term “barf” denotes either ice or snow. Barfi is a firm condensed milk dessert. You may pick from various flavours, including pista (pistachio), rose, saffron, chocolate, and almond.
Malpua
People thoroughly enjoy Malpua, a sweet pancake, during Holi. You can make it using a batter of coconut, mashed bananas, flour, semolina, milk, and cardamom. After that, these desserts are fried in ghee and coated with sugar syrup. The term “indulgent” comes to mind while describing the dish. Malpuas, a blend of soft and crunchy, are the perfect way to finish your Holi lunch.
Dahi Vada/Dahi Bhalle
This is among top traditional Holi foods. Dahi (curd) and vada are the dish’s two main ingredients of this dish. Urad dal batter balls are fried and soaked in spiced dahi with other spices and condiments to make this mouth-watering savoury dish. Sweet-and-sour chutneys are added to the mixture to make a hearty meal. It is a well-liked dish during the Holi celebrations and is also known as Dahi Bhalla in North India.
Papdi Chaat
Holi is incomplete without this popular snack item. This famous snack consists of crispy dough crackers topped with boiled chickpeas and potatoes, an assortment of spices & chutneys, and yoghurt.
Namak Para/ Shakar Para
Namak para and shakar para are savoury and sweet variations of the same recipe or two sides of a coin. The latter dish is a favourite in West India, particularly in Gujarat. They are a treat after just a tiring morning of Holi activity.
Kachori
Traditionally, kachori is prepared during the Holi celebration. It is claimed to have its roots in the Marwari community, although it assumed many other forms (Mogar, Raj, Pyaaz, Nagori, Mawa, Lilva, Heeng, Banarasi). This street food consists of a rich, typically savoury, fried all-purpose or whole wheat flour snack.
Pakoras
Want to order some munchies for the train journey? Have some crispy pakoras and fritters delivered to your seat with eCatering! Enjoy your Holi journey with a hot cup of masala chai and this delectable snack.
Thandai
Without a spectacular thandai pour, a Bollywood Holi scenario isn’t complete. This milk-based, cooling beverage is frequently garnished with almonds, spices, and occasionally even bhang (a hallucinogenic). This drink is fundamental to the festival and is common in North India (Benaras is known as the centre of thandai). It also has several health advantages. It is the ideal beverage for the country’s March heat. Enjoy some Thandai on your Holi train journey from eCatering!
Lassi
This drink from Punjab is one of the most popular drinks in North India, if not the most popular. Lassi is a yoghurt-based beverage mixed with water and other ingredients. The preparation determines whether the mixture is sweet or savoury. You can even choose from various flavours, some of which include fruits. However, a scoop of malai put on the beverage takes it to the next level. This gives it a rich flavour and texture. A delicious drink of lassi is a must-have for each Holi celebration.
No need to feel disheartened if you are on a train journey during Holi. IRCTC eCatering covers your Holi celebrations on the train! Make your Holi train trip memorable with a delicious meal from eCatering. Choose, order & enjoy a wide variety of Gujiya, Namkeen, Laddu, Kachori, Thandai, Chaat, Malpua, and other traditional Indian sweets & snacks while on your train journey.
Let’s briefly review why IRCTC eCatering is your greatest Holi train companion.
Food is no longer an issue for lengthy train rides during Holi, as you can easily order your favourite Indian dishes & traditional Holi foods from eCatering. IRCTC eCatering offers over 500 well-known brands and restaurants to select from. Be ready to have your sweet and savoury taste buds blown. It will be worth it even if you end up in a food coma for a few days. Holi celebrations come around just once a year, after all!
Make your Holi train journey enjoyable and memorable by ordering one of the delectable sweets or lip-smacking snacks from eCatering. The options are endless, and you get to decide!
There are several traditional Holi foods & dishes, Gujiya, Dahi Vada, Thandai, Lassi, Malpua are some of the most common and popular ones.
There are several ways in which people celebrate Holi all over the country. Some of them are Lathmar Holi, Gulal Holi, Vrindavan Holi, married women praying for their family’s well-being and so on.
Traditionally Holi celebration starts with Chhoti Holi or Holika Dahan. People light enormous bonfires across the nation to represent the time when virtue prevailed over evil. Participants perform rituals and toss dry leaves, wood, and twigs onto the fire. Holika Dahan is followed by the main holiday of Holi or Rangwali Holi, during which people fling coloured powder into the air, turning the streets and cities colourful.
People celebrate Holi or the festival of colours on the final full moon of the Phalguna lunar month. It is a spring celebration of colours and love. There are no particular traditional colours. People play Holi with all sorts of colours and gulal.
You can enjoy a wide assortment of traditional Holi foods on train via IRCTC eCatering. Some of them are Gujiyas, Dahi Vadas, Thandai, Namkeen, Sweets & Snacks.