Editing Radha (section)

=== Festivals ===
Radha is one of the major and celebrated goddess in Hinduism. Following is the list of festivals associated with her.

==== Radhashtami ====
{{Main|Radhashtami}}
[[File:Radha Syamasundar Vrindavan Radhastami 2004.jpg|thumb|Radha Krishna on Radhashtami, [[ISKCON Temple, Vrindavan]]]]

Radhashtami, also called Radha Jayanti is celebrated as the appearance anniversary of Radha. In the Hindu calendar, Radhashtami is observed annually in the month of the [[Bhadra (Hindu calendar)|Bhadra]], 15 days after [[Krishna Janmashtami]], the birth anniversary of Krishna, which suggests that Radha is very much an aspect of the cultural-religious faith system governing social life.<ref name=":8" /> The festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm and fervor especially in the [[Braj|Braj region]]. The festivities include fasting till afternoon (12 pm), abhishek and [[Arti (Hinduism)|aarti]] of Radharani, offering her flowers, sweets and food items, singing songs, dancing and prayers dedicated to Radha.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Radhastami {{!}} Krishna.com|url=http://www.krishna.com/radhastami|access-date=2021-05-29|website=www.krishna.com}}</ref> The [[Radha Rani Temple]] in [[Barsana]] host this festival in a grand manner as Basana is also considered as the birthplace of Radha. Apart from Barsana, this festival is celebrated in nearly all the temples of [[Vrindavan]] and [[International Society for Krishna Consciousness|ISKCON]] temples across the world as it is one of the major festival for many [[Vaishnavism]] sections.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Radhastami – ISKCON VRINDAVAN|url=https://iskconvrindavan.com/festivals/radhastmi/|access-date=2021-05-29|language=en-US}}</ref>

==== Holi ====
{{Main|Holi}}
[[File:3 Nichal Chand (attr) Krishna Celebrates Holi with Radha and the Gopis 1750-60 Boston MFA.jpg|thumb|''Krishna Celebrates Holi with Radha and the Gopis'' by [[Nihâl Chand|Nihal Chand]], [[Kishangarh]], 1750-60]]

Holi, one of the major Hindu festival, also called ''festival of love'' and ''festival of colors'' also celebrates the divine and eternal love of Radha and [[Krishna]]. [[Mathura]] and Vrindavan are known for their Holi celebrations. According to popular legend associated with [[Radha Krishna]], as a child, Krishna would cry to his mother [[Yashoda]] about Radha being fair while he had a dark complexion. His mother then advised him to smear colour of his choice on Radha's face, thus giving birth to Braj ki Holi. It is said that every year, Lord Krishna would travel from his village [[Nandgaon, Uttar Pradesh|Nandgaon]] to Goddess Radha's village Barsana, where Radha and the [[gopi]]s would playfully beat him with sticks.<ref>Yudit Greenberg, Encyclopedia of Love in World Religions, Volume 1, {{ISBN|978-1851099801}}, p. 212</ref><ref>{{cite book |author=McKim Marriott |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9hairjdT-ekC |title=The Life of Hinduism |publisher=University of California Press |year=2006 |isbn=978-0-520-24914-1 |editor=John Stratton Hawley and Vasudha Narayanan |page=102}}, Quote: "Holi, he said with a beatific sigh, is the Festival of Love!"</ref> In present times, Holi celebrations in Barsana begin one week before the actual date of the festival, moving to Nandgaon the next day. In Mathura and Vrindavan, the festival is celebrated in different forms like [[Lathmar Holi]] in Barsana and Nandgaon, where sticks are used to create playful beats, to which young men and women dance; Phoolon wali Holi in Gulaal Kund near the [[Govardhan Hill]], during which [[Raslila|Ras Leela]] is performed and Holi is played with colourful flowers and Widow's Holi in Vrindavan.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Incredible India {{!}} Braj ki Holi|url=https://www.incredibleindia.org/content/incredible-india-v2/en/destinations/mathura-vrindavan/braj-ki-holi.html|access-date=2021-05-29|website=www.incredibleindia.org}}</ref>

==== Sharad Purnima ====
{{Main|Sharad Purnima}}

Sharad Purnima refers to the full moon of the autumn season. On this day, devotees celebrate Krishna performing a beautiful dance called "[[Raslila|rasa lila]]" with Radha and the gopis—the cowherd damsels of Vrindavan.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Braj Darshan {{!}} MAHARAAS: The Dance of Spirituality|url=https://www.brajdarshan.in/maharaas/|access-date=2021-05-29|website=www.brajdarshan.in|archive-date=2 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602212511/https://www.brajdarshan.in/maharaas/|url-status=dead}}</ref> On this day, Radha Krishna in temples are dressed in white outfits and are adorned with flower garlands and glittering ornaments.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Sharma|first=Aashish|title=ISKCON-London - Sharad Purnima - Kartik Full Moon Festival|url=https://www.iskcon-london.org/events/festivals/sharad-purnima|access-date=2021-05-29|website=www.iskcon-london.org|language=en-gb}}</ref>

==== Kartik Purnima ====
{{Main|Kartik Purnima}}

In [[Vaishnavism]], the occasion of Kartik Purnima is considered as the most auspicious day to worship goddess Radha. According to [[Brahma Vaivarta Purana]], Krishna also worshiped Radha on this day.<ref name="Shanti Lal Nagar"/> In Radha Krishna temples, sacred vow is observed throughout the [[Kārtika (month)|Karthik month]] and performances of [[Raslila]] are organized to celebrate this festival.<ref name=":02">{{Cite book |last=Mohapatra |first=J. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UdpzAgAAQBAJ&dq=worship+radha&pg=PA164 |title=Wellness In Indian Festivals & Rituals |date=2013 |publisher=Partridge Publishing |isbn=978-1-4828-1690-7 |pages=164 |language=en}}</ref>