New Delhi [India], March 4 (ANI): The nation immersed itself in joy and happiness with cheerful celebrations of Holi. From temple towns to metropolitan cities, people enjoyed the festivities by exchanging sweets, applying colour (gulal), offering prayers, and celebrating the victory of good over evil.
Holi, also known as the Spring Festival, marks the arrival of spring and the harvest season. The celebration is deeply rooted in Hindu mythology, symbolising the triumph of good over evil.
Children celebrated Holi in Raipur. In a post on X, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai wishes everyone a very Happy Holi. He said Holi is a sacred festival filled with a unique spectrum of colours, the sweet rhythm of enthusiasm, and boundless joy.
In Telengana, a large number of people celebrated Holi at People’s Plaza in Hyderabad. Congress MLA Danam Nagendra says, “Holi is a festival where Hindus, Muslims and everyone come together to celebrate;c everyone should do away with their differences.”
In Madhya Pradesh, People celebrated holi with great enthusiasm and joy. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Wednesday celebrated Holi in Bhopal. He extended the Holi greetings to all the people in the state and country and highlighted government efforts, such as the Kisan Cabinet and an increase in the dearness allowance, which he believed have made the celebration more significant.
In Assam, people danced and celebrated the Holi festival. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma joined the sacred Doul Utsav at Barpeta Satra on the auspicious occasion of Holi.
In the Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, the occasion took on a unique cultural form with the historic Behro Dev Janki procession. Holi was celebrated with great enthusiasm, and in Rajouri, the celebration took a unique cultural form. Along with traditional Holi festivities, the historic Behro Dev janki procession was taken out, continuing a centuries-old custom that runs from February 26 to March 4 each year.
Extending Holi greetings to the people, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished for happiness, prosperity and success to everyone.
In a post on X, PM Modi said, “Heartfelt Holi greetings to all my fellow citizens. May this festival, brimming with colours and exuberance, bring a shower of joy to everyone. May every life be sprinkled with the hues of happiness, prosperity, and success–this is my heartfelt wish.”
President Droupadi Murmu also conveyed her heartfelt greetings, expressing hope for the happiness and prosperity of all citizens.
In a post on X, she said that the festival of colours spreads love and optimism, while strengthening unity and brotherhood among people. She wished that Holi brings joy to every life and inspires collective efforts toward building a developed India.
“Heartfelt Holi greetings to all my fellow citizens from my side. This festival of colours infuses love and hope into people’s lives and strengthens mutual unity and brotherhood. My wish is that this festival brings happiness into everyone’s life and that we all together contribute to building a developed nation,” President Murmu wrote on ‘X’.
Alongside, several Union Ministers, State Ministers, and leaders from the Opposition also extended greetings on the occassion, seeking prosperity and health for the nation.
In Delhi, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta celebrated Holi at her residence, expressing hope that the festival of colours would usher in a new era of development for the national capital. BJP MP Manoj Tiwari sang a phag song at the Holi celebration at his residence in Delhi.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath celebrated holi with common people at Ghantaghar Chauraha in Gorakhpur. CM Yogi Adityanath expressed happiness over the joyful atmosphere brought on the occassion of Holi, highlighting how such a festival is bringing in joy and enthusiasm while the world is in disarray. People in Vrindavan, Mathura, celebrated Holi with full joy, dance and music. In Prayagraj, a large number of people gather at Loknath Chauraha to dance and celebrate Holi.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami celebrated the festival at his official residence in Dehradun with members of the public, office bearers of the organisation, party workers and other distinguished guests in an atmosphere filled with warmth, harmony and enthusiasm.
Similarly, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu celebrated the festival of colours, Holi, with people from all walks of life at his official residence, ‘Oak Over’, today.
Bihar Minister Ram Kripal Yadav participated in the long-standing Holi traditions at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan, joining residents in singing folk songs and dancing to mark the festival of colours.
In Odisha, at Bhima Bhoi Drustihina Vidyala, Bhubaneshwar, Senior Congress leader and former PCC President Harichandan organised the celebration. People there extended wishes to each other and celebrated Holi with colours.
Holi was celebrated at Shri Chandreshwar Mahadev Temple in Rishikesh with the Shivling at the temple beautifully adorned with abeer, gulal, and flowers.
Officials of the Central Jail in Indore celebrated Holi with inmates. The inmates and jail staff took part in the festivities with colours and dance inside the prison premises.
Alka Sonkar, Superintendent of Central Jail Indore, said the celebrations were held as per the directions of the state government. “The Chief Minister has instructed us to celebrate all the festivals with the inmates. We are glad that we can celebrate Holi here with them,” she said.
The Red Shield Gunners, under the aegis of Spear Corps, celebrated Holi with the children of Nava Rupantar orphanage at Tinsukia, Assam.
According to the Defence PRO, the celebration on Tuesday was marked by genuine affection and shared laughter as 20 children, ranging in age from 8 to 17 years, observed the festival with the soldiers.
The festival begins with Holika Dahan, where a bonfire is lit to mark the death of Holika, a symbol of evil and a special Puja to burn evil spirits is performed.
This year, the celebration of the ‘Festival of Colours’ is being observed on two separate days. While several states in Western India, including Mumbai and Gujarat, have already begun the festivities today, Tuesday, March 3. North India is set to mark its main celebrations tomorrow, Wednesday, March 4. (ANI)