Participants during Basanta Utsav celebrations in North Kolkata on Monday. (Express photo: Partha Paul)
Happy Holi 2020 Highlights: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday morning greeted the nation on the occasion of Holi, wishing everyone happiness on the festival of colour and joy. Vice President Venkaiah Naidu and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also extended Holi greetings to all.
Holi marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring. The festival, usually held over two days, is celebrated by splashing colours, dancing and munching on sweets.
Celebrations begin a night before with Holika Dahan — a bonfire that symbolises the victory of good over evil. People circle the fire, perform religious rituals and pray for the destruction of evil, recalling the story of the demon Holika, who tried to burn her nephew Prahlad but was burnt instead.
The festival begins with Holika Dahan or Chhoti Holi, which is being celebrated on March 9 this year. Holi celebrations on the second day are called Badi Holi or Dhulandi. This is said to welcome spring, and is considered the festival of harvest for farmers.
With the fear of coronavirus spreading across the country, PM Narendra Modi has decided to skip Holi events this year to avoid mass gatherings. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is also avoiding Holi Milan in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. Urging everyone to stay safe, BJP President JP Nadda also decided to cancel Holi celebrations.
While Holi is celebrated with delectable sweets, thandai, loud music, and much excitement, a common issue that many face amidst the festivities is skin and hair damage. So, in case you're struggling to take those nasty colours off your skin and hair, here are some expert tips to lessen the bad impact of .the harsh colours often on our skin and hair. Read more here
In a bid to stop wasteage of water differently-abled children in Pune enjoyed the festival of colours with flowers. PRO Foundation for children with special needs celebrated the festival donning red clothes and instead of throwing balloons filled with water, spattered flower petals on their friends and loved ones.
Express photo by Ashish Kale.
As people were urged not to take part in huge Holi celebrations to avoid crowded places, people in Pune decided to carry on with festivities. However, keeping in mind the spread of the infection, participants were seen donning protective masks and playing colours.
Express photo by Ashish Kale.
Traditionally, celebrating Holi is all about splashing of coloured water, throwing coloured-filled balloons at our loved ones, However, over the years people have been trying their best to enjoy the festivities without wasting gallons of water. So, this Holi, Kiran Bedi, Governor of Puducherry showed how she celebrated the festival of colours using flower petals.
Holi celebrations in Mathura and Vrindavan are marked by musical processions from the temple to the river banks. Thousands of devotees throng the famous temples on the auspicious day in the religious towns to celebrate the festival of colours with full fervours.
Holi is celebrated not just in India but across the globe and every place has its unique form of celebrations. The festival is celebrated in multiple ways in different cities and states across the country, with special fairs and rituals to mark the occasion. In Punjab's Anandpur Sahib, one can experience the Sikh culture in totality on this day. Legend has it that the annual fair, Hola Mohalla, was started in 1701 when Guru Gobind Singh protested against the rising Mughal intolerance. Anandpur Sahib is a holy Sikh pilgrimage where Nihang warriors adorning blue robes participate in the display of gatka, wrestling, sword fights, and military exercises.
Tribals in Satpura range has been celebrating Holi for the last 774 years at a small hamlet called Kathi in Nandurbar district, Maharashtra. Some fifty thousand people mostly tribals come from the neighbouring states like that of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh too come together to celebrate this unique Holi celebration every year. Marking the festival through song and dance, dressed in traditional outfits, they celebrate throughout the night after maintaining celebasy for twelve days through strict traditional and religious rituals. However, in this unique Holi, there is no place for colourful hues, as they don't use any sort of colour except the ash retrieved from bonfire.
Express Photo by Amit Chakravarty
Holi is all about about plastering colours on your friends and family, spending the big festival with much fanfare. But if you're not the one who likes to splash some colours real colours on people's faces, Google has decided to make a fun game to enjoy the festivities. In case you're getting bored or have office on Holi, you can virtually play Holi (or at least spatter some colours on your devices).
Here's how you can do it.
Any festival is incomplete without food, and when it's Holi, the festival of colours is a big miss without delicious desserts. Since family get-togethers mark this special occasion, what better occasion than to indulge is the finest recipes with your loved ones? If you are in search of trademark Holi recipes, your search ends here.
With the fear of coronavirus spreading across the country, people were suggesred to avoid mass gatherings this year. Many including Prime Minister Narendra Mosi and Amit Shah among others announced they will not be attending Holi events. However, experts explained people ‘need not stop playing Holi for fear of COVID-19, but do avoid crowds’. Doctors have advised to avoid mass Holi celebration in pool parties and smearing colour on facial skin. But undeterred by the fears many big Holi events did witness great turnouts. Here's one such scene from Gujarat. See more photos of Holi celebration in India here.
Holi is here and with that comes the risk of smartphones getting damaged with water. And you definitely can’t do anything if someone throws coloured at you during Holi celebrations. But don't worry, here are some useful tips to protect your devices during the festival from water damages. Read more here.
Hoi, the festival of colours, which brings a wave of zest and zeal, sometimes sees a rise of hooliganism which could jeopardise the safety of others. So, amidst all the fun, police forces across the country are reminding people to celebrate the festival responsibly underlining the concept of consent before plastering anyone with colours.
Although the fear of coronavirus has dampened spirits, people have taken to social media to spread the festive cheer. With memes and jokes, netizens are wishing each other Happy Holi online.
Top American lawmakers Tuesday greeted Indian-Americans on the occasion of Holi, news agency PTI reported. "Happy Holi to all celebrating in California and around the world. I hope the festival of colors is a joyous celebration for everyone," Senator Dianne Feinstein said.
Watch pictures of Holi celebration across the country. See more photos here
Basanta Utsav celebrations in North Kolkata. (Express photo by Partha Paul)
Men and women play "Lathmar Holi" during the Fag Mahotsava at the Govind Devji temple in Jaipur on Thursday. (Express Photo by Rohit Jain Paras)
Holi is celebrated with great fervour across the country. Below are some pictures of Holi celebrations from various parts of the country.
Devotees walk around a bonfire during the ritual of "Holika Dahan" Ahmedabad on Monday. (Reuters)
Bollywood celebrities have gotten into the festive spirit and are celebrating the festival of colours Holi in full zest. Take a look at some of their photos below. See all pictures here
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Tuesday wished Happy Holi to all citizens and tweeted, "May this festival of colors fill your lives with the colors of happiness, Happy Holi to all citizens."
Vice President Venkaiah Naidu wished everyone a very Happy Holi. "This Holi, let us strive to strengthen the bonds of friendship and amity that hold our society together," he tweeted, adding, "Let the festival break the barriers that divide us and unite us in the quest for shared prosperity, peace, progress, harmony and joy."
Doctors have advised to avoid mass gatherings and Holi celebrations in pool parties and smearing colour on facial skin. Doctors stated that it not only the Holi time, but Mid-February to Mid -March is also the peak season for infectious diseases, such as the viral skin infections, seasonal and H1N1 flu, mononucleosis, colds & coughs. People with infectious diseases start shedding the virus even before they experience the full effect of the illness. Read more
Here are some pictures from Holi being celebrated at Mahakal Temple in Ujjain.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday conveyed his greetings on Holi, the festival of color and joy. "May this festival bring happiness to all the citizens of the country," he tweeted.
In view of coronavirus scare, several resident welfare associations and Chandigarh Municipal Corporation have cancelled mass Holi celebrations. The chairman of Federation of Sectors Welfare Associations of Chandigarh, Baljinder Singh Bittu, said, “Due to the coronavirus, our RWAs of sectors 21, 37,35, 46 have already cancelled the event and others may announce it soon.”He added, “Not just Holi celebrations but even otherwise we RWAs have announced that there should be no mass gathering, be it in the form of RWA meetings. Prevention is always better.” Read more here
Holi, hands down, is the most fun festival. However, acne shouldn’t stop you from enjoying this festival of colours. If you are planning to play Holi, get ready for the classic Holi playlist, glasses of thandai and loads of fun. But do not forget your skin, because, at the end of the day, it is what faces the brunt. Here, we give out tips specifically meant for those suffering from acne to help you navigate Holi without the fear of skin inflammation. Read more here