Holi celebrations begin across country with colors, music, festive joy

NEW DELHI: The festival of Holi has begun across the country, with people coming together to celebrate with colours, music, and traditional festivities. From temples to streets, vibrant hues and joyous gatherings mark the onset of the festival, symbolising the triumph of good over evil.

In several states, celebrations will begin with the Holika Dahan, a ritual bonfire that symbolises the victory of devotion and righteousness. In Mathura and Vrindavan, famous for their grand Holi celebrations, devotees began the traditional rituals, including the famous Lathmar Holi.

Cities like Varanasi, Jaipur, and Delhi witnessed enthusiastic crowds smearing each other with colors and enjoying festive treats like gujiya and thandai. Authorities have deployed security personnel in major cities to ensure peaceful celebrations.

In Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer, holi celebrations were held at the Shri Lakshminath Ji temple on the day of Holika Dahan.

Prayers were offered, bhajans were sung, and colours were smeared on each other at the temple premises.

Speaking on the Holi festival, a local said, “Holi celebrations in Jaisalmer begin from Shri Lakshminath Ji temple. Chaitanya Raj Singh Bhati also takes part in this celebration. The local people celebrate this ‘Phaagotsav’ together at the temple”.

Border Security Force (BSF) personnel posted at border outposts celebrated Holi on Thursday with great enthusiasm. To make the experience memorable, the senior officers and jawans make special arrangements ahead of the festivities.

Amid the festive cheers, the personnel applied colors to each other and shared sweets with them. In a show of camaraderie, the soldiers lifted their officers onto their shoulders, chanting slogans of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai.”

The Border Security Force (BSF) personnel danced joyfully, covered in gulal, creating a lively atmosphere along the Indo-Pak border. The women soldiers not only danced to the rhythm of the DJ but also enjoyed the festivities with their fellow soldiers.

BSF Deputy Commandant Pratap Singh highlighted the sacrifice and dedication of the force, stating, “When the entire nation sleeps peacefully, we stay awake to protect the borders. Today, as the country celebrates Holi, we are here celebrating with our personnel. We are their family, their brothers, and their support system.”

Meanwhile, people are celebrating the festival of colours at Shri Priyakant Ju temple in Uttar Pradesh’s Vrindavan.

Similar visuals were seen in UP’s Sambhal, where people played Holi and sang songs at the Shiv Hanuman temple of Khaggu Sarai, which was recently reopened. The police have made tight security arrangements to ensure law and order in the area.

Hyderabad, the capital of Telangana, is filled with excitement as people immerse themselves in the celebration of the festival of colours.

The streets are filled with people and colors. As the festival of Holi approaches, people are going shopping. This year, there are many varieties of colours and toy guns in the market. A seller, Satyanarayan Lal, said that there is a huge rush of people coming to buy colours, toy guns and others. He stated that there are many new varieties of toy guns too.

Ganesh Kumar, who came to purchase colors, said that Holi is a festival that is celebrated across the country with a lot of excitement.

Holi festivities have begun, and the nation has flocked to the markets to grab the colours and pichkaris. Homes are being decked up with vibrant decorations, and sweets like gujiyas are being prepared in kitchens across the country. People are stocking up on their festive essentials. (ANI)