Holi swept across India on Wednesday, March 4, as cities and villages erupted in colour, music and traditional rituals. From temple rites in Mathura-Vrindavan and Rajasthan’s vibrant Dhulandi to political gatherings in Delhi, revelers exchanged sweets and smeared each other with gulal to mark the victory of good over evil and the start of spring. Celebrations also reached border towns and tourist hubs, underscoring the festival’s nationwide cultural reach.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended greetings, saying the festival “infuses the entire atmosphere with new energy” and wished that Holi “bring a spring of happiness for everyone,” in a message issued in Hindi.
In Mathura, devotees observed Holi with particular fervour around the Bankey Bihari temple, where colours were played openly outside the sanctum. In nearby Bachchgaon village, families observed a 150-year-old “Chappal Holi” tradition in which elders playfully hit younger members with slippers-a practice said to have originated as a protest against colonial-era injustices. In Shahjahanpur, the annual “Lat Sahab” procession paraded a man representing the colonial-era figure on a bullock cart while revellers chanted slogans and symbolically struck the effigy with shoes.
Political parties staged their own festivities in the capital. AAP leaders, including former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, gathered at Manish Sisodia’s residence for what the party called “Kattar Imandar Holi.” Sisodia said, “Today, the colours of ‘kattar imandaar’ will fly in the air, not the colours of corruption,” noting the celebrations came days after a Delhi court cleared him, Kejriwal and 21 others in the excise policy case. At Congress’s 24 Akbar Road office, Rahul Gandhi smeared party workers with colour and posted on X wishing everyone “new hopes, new enthusiasm and countless happiness.” Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also extended Holi greetings to the public.
Across Jammu, Army and BSF personnel joined local residents and NGOs in Holi festivities along the Line of Control and International Border, with citywide celebrations marked by communal harmony. In Rajasthan, Dhulandi-the main day of Rangwali Holi-was observed broadly a day after partial celebrations in some areas due to a lunar eclipse. Jaipur hosted a Holi Milan at the chief minister’s residence attended by tourists and former royal family members, while Pushkar’s International Holi Festival drew large numbers of domestic and foreign visitors.
Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh celebrated with traditional zeal, and thousands flocked to Anandpur Sahib for the Sikh community’s Holla Mohalla. In West Bengal, revelry continued after Doljatra, with lively scenes in Kolkata neighbourhoods such as Burrabazar and Bhawanipur; Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee posted on X wishing everyone a happy Holi. Telangana, Odisha and Jharkhand saw energetic local celebrations, while Hyderabad’s residential complexes held Holika Dahan ceremonies.
Coastal Puri made special arrangements for foreign tourists taking part in Holi events, with hoteliers and lifeguards advised to monitor beaches closely to prevent drowning incidents. Across the country, Holi’s colours and camaraderie cut across religious and linguistic lines, offering a lively reminder of the festival’s unifying spirit.
Original Source: https://theshillongtimes.com/2026/03/05/india-celebrates-holi-with-splash-sweets-and-smile/
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Publish Date: 2026-03-05 05:04:00
