From the banks of Ganges in Varanasi to the old alleys of New Delhi, India soaked in the festive spirit of colour and revelry as the nation celebrated Holi on Sunday hurling each other with gulal and coloured water.
While people smeared each other with colours, special savouries were prepared in households and traditional sweets and snacks shops and many got intoxicated indulging in the special Holi brew in India- the bhang lassi.
The festival of colour swept away people in every corner of the nation while foreigners visiting India also grabbed the opportunity to drown them in the colours of Holi, one of India’s oldest festival associated with the legends of Lord Krishna and his lover Radha, making it a special day for the lovers who took all the liberty to apply colour on their beloved’s face.
Also associated with the festival is the tradition of ‘Holika Dahan’ or the lighting of bonfires to signify the victory of good over evil.
It is also celebrated as the Basant Utsav or the Festival of Spring.
Young boys and girls in the streets made the most of the day by spraying each other with coloured waters and hurling coloured water balloons, especially the reluctant ones running away from colours.
In the holy ghats of Varanasi groups of Holi revellers sang songs and celebrated the festivity.
In Lucknow, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Lalji Tandon led a procession of Holi with hundreds of people and an elephant to add flamboyance for good measure.
“We want to bring back the old tradition,” said Tandon proudly leading the procession.
In Mathura-Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh, the land of Krishna, the foreigners were seen dancing and playing with the colours with Indians.
People of Mathura-Vrindavan celebrate Holi for over a week. Each major Krishna temple celebrates Holi on a different day.
In the old lanes of Delhi, people binged on Holi food- the crisp puris with potato gravy and sweets like gujiyas and malpowas.
West Bengal celebrated the festival of colour a day ahead with many localities organizing song and dance programmes in keeping with the traditions of the festival in Santiniketan, the abode of learning set up by world poet Rabindranath Tagore.
Earlier on Saturday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Pratibha Patil greeted the people of India on occasion of Holi.
In a message, the Prime Minister said that the festival of colours is a celebration of the diversity of India.
?The spring festival symbolizes hope and a new beginning and strengthens the bond of brotherhood among the people. May the festival usher in happiness and prosperity to all he added,? said Singh.
President Pratibha Patil sent her greetings to her citizens as she said: “On the joyous occasion of Holi, I have great pleasure to extend my greetings and good wishes.?
?May this unique festival of colours, bring joy and happiness and foster the spirit of unity and harmony amongst our citizens,” she added.
The Bollywood royalty greeted the people on the occasion of Holi, a festival captured in numerous Hindi movies and made immortal in blockbusters like Sholay and Silsila.
From Ajay Devgan to Sonam Kapoor, top Bollywood actors greeted their fans and the people at large on the occasion of Holi.
Some were introspective and thoughtful. Big B is one such Bollywood star.
“The days of its boisterous celebrations have long been forgotten, but the spirit still lives and hopefully when the atmosphere around us all is one of relief and good will then maybe we shall bring back those moments of celebration and music and dance and thandai and of course the songs from the folk music of UP,” blogged a pensive Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan.