b'marchINDIAFESTIVALS IN RAJASTHANThough its starting to get warm, March is a wonderful time to experience the rich festive culture of Rajasthan. Holi, the festival of colours, is celebrated with great fervour in March (sometimes April). During this two-day celebration, Rajasthani royal families invite the public to their palace gardens to celebrate, while hotels may host Holi-themed parties for guests. People of all ages join in the celebrations, offering prayers, playing with powdered colours, and feasting on traditional dishes. Holi is celebrated with great enthusiasm all over Jaipur city. Govind Dev Ji Temple inside the City Palace hosts a grand Holi celebration in which visitors can participate. Additionally, Jaipur hosts a day-long Elephant Festival on the same day as Holi. In Bikaner, the traditional way of celebrating Holi goes back 300 years. It involves men throwing water on each other using a camel skin vessel called a dolchi. Jaisalmer Fort also hosts grand Holi festivities, with elaborate rituals, folk performances, and various cultural events. The three-day annual festival of Mewar is also celebrated at this time to mark the arrival of spring. Udaipur is festooned with lights, and residents wear their finest Rajasthani garments. Colourfully dressed women carry vibrantly adorned idols of Isar (Hindu god Shiva) and Gauri (Goddess Parvati) to Lake Pichola and place them on boats. Playing with Holi colours hayesandjarvis.co.uk/rajasthanHoli festival celebration in RajasthanNorthern Lights, FairbanksPHOTOS: FREEPIK.COM (PLAYING WITH COLOUR), PRAMOD TIWARI ON UNSPLASH (HOLI SCENE)ALASKANORTHERN LIGHTS AT FAIRBANKSThe natural phenomenon of the Northern Lights (aurora borealis) is a colourful display of supercharged solar particles colliding with the atmosphere over Arctic skies during the darkest nights of the year. This incredible event generates attractive streams of blue, green, purple, and white light across the skya truly mesmerising sight. The Northern Lights can be seen in different parts of Alaska, particularly from Fairbanks, between September and April. March is peak time for observing these psychedelic skies, and although it is winter and it will be freezing, the days are beginning to get longer (around 13-14 hours of daylight). The best time to view this extraordinary phenomenon is between 9 pm and 2 am. Fairbanks is located under the auroral oval and sits along the Chena River. Recommended viewing locations in the area include Borealis Basecamp, The Lodge at the Black Rapids, and Chena Hot Springs Resort. They are all located in areas with minimal light pollution, increasing your chances of witnessing this natural spectacle. You can also participate in other winter activities: dog sledding, snowmobiling, ice-fishing, a dip in therapeutic geothermal springs, and visiting the Aurora Ice Museum.hayesandjarvis.co.uk/fairbanksTRUE VOYAGES \x1a11'