Holi Special Food Onboard: IRCTC eCatering Makes Your Journey Delicious

Holi stands out as a vibrant and lively celebration deeply rooted in Indian culture. As winter wanes and spring heralds its arrival, this festival of Holi 2024 will paint the world in hues of joy and renewal. It is a time of exuberance, where people clad in radiant attire chase each other with colourful powders and water balloons, spreading laughter and cheer. Amidst this festive atmosphere, a plethora of traditional Holi special food tantalises the taste buds, adding to the merriment.

With everyone filled with joy and vigour for Holi, it’s an ideal occasion to indulge in sweets and snacks. For those opting for a train journey home, IRCTC eCatering services offer a wide array of Holi special food & delights.

This celebration evokes a sense of nostalgia, prompting many to revisit their ancestral homes and relive cherished memories. It serves as a poignant reminder of one’s roots, fostering a deep connection to tradition and heritage. Holi embodies a spirit of love, joy, and culinary delight, enriching lives with its vibrant festivities.

Legends and rituals associated with Holi

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, and it is a day when people forgive, forget, and expel the negative energies in their lives in order 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 engage in 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 splash water on each other.

Travelling during Holi

A lot of people will journey back to their homes from all around the country during Holi 2024 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.

Holi Special Food

While visiting family members, people enjoy a variety of traditional Holi special food items. Although Indian cuisine differs by region, there are several traditional delicacies that almost everybody loves to eat. Because Holi is most often connected with having fun and eating delicious sweets, IRCTC eCatering recommends the following Holi special food to enjoy on train:

Holi special sweets

Gujiya

A must-have food in Holi is the traditional dessert Gujiya. This delicacy will bring back childhood memories of Holi thanks to its mouthwatering 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 is the definition of sweet goodness—a creamy pleasure with mouthwatering Chenna. These delicious chenna balls, dipped in a creamy milky syrup, have roots in West Bengal.

Barfi

Barfi—the classic. 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 a variety of flavours, including pista (pistachio), rose, saffron, chocolate, and almond.

Malpua

People thoroughly enjoy Malpua, also known as a sweet pancake, as Holi festival food. You can make it using a batter of coconut, mashed bananas, flour, semolina, milk, and cardamom. Thereafter, 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.

Holi special food & snacks

Dahi Vada/Dahi Bhalle

Dahi (curd) and vada are the two main ingredients of this dish. Urad dal batter balls are fried, then soaked in spiced dahi with an assortment of other spices and condiments to make this mouthwatering savoury dish. Sweet-and-sour chutneys are added to the mixture of both of these ingredients 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 shakarpara are savoury and sweet variations of the same recipe or two sides of a coin. In West India, particularly in Gujarat, the latter dish is a favourite. 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 snack prepared from all-purpose or whole wheat flour.

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.

Holi special beverages

Thandai

Without a spectacular thandai pour, a Bollywood Holi scenario isn’t complete. This milk-based, cooling beverage uses almonds, spices, and occasionally even bhang (a hallucinogenic). This drink is fundamental to the festival and is common in North India (Benaras in particular). It also has several health advantages. Most importantly, 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 that uses water and other ingredients. The preparation determines whether the mixture is sweet or savoury. You can even choose from a variety of flavours, some of which include fruits. A scoop of malai put on the beverage, however, 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.

How to celebrate Holi festival in trains with eCatering

No need to feel disheartened if you are on a train journey during Holi. IRCTC eCatering has got your Holi celebrations on train covered! Make your Holi train trip memorable with delicious & traditional Holi food 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.

Why is IRCTC eCatering the best for Holi Celebration on Trains?

Let’s briefly review why IRCTC eCatering is your greatest Holi train companion.

• You can order delectable sweets, hot snacks, and other dishes and get them delivered directly to your seat.
• You can use the Group Booking Service to order food for large travelling groups of 15 or more people. Get the most reasonable pricing and customisation from eCatering.
• There’s a huge selection of dishes and cuisines to choose from.
• eCatering has the most extensive network of well-known food brands and restaurants as partners.

Summary

With eCatering, you can conveniently order your favourite Holi special food to your seat. So food is no longer a problem during long Holi train travels. There are more than 500 renowned brands and restaurants available through IRCTC eCatering. Your palate for both sweet and savoury foods will be amazed. Even if you spend a few days in a food coma, it will all be worthwhile. After all, Holi celebrations only occur once a year!

Ready to place an online food order?

• Go to the official eCatering website at https://www.ecatering.irctc.co.in/.
• Or download & install the Food on Track app.
• Or call 1323.

Make your Holi train journey enjoyable and memorable by ordering one of the delectable sweets or mouthwatering snacks or whatever that you desire from eCatering. The options are endless, and you get to decide!