Subdued Holi celebrations in Uttar Pradesh

According to the 18th-century tradition, Holi revellers in this Uttar Pradesh town begin the celebrations by hurling footwear at the laat sahib procession, featuring a cart and a man personifying a British.Police officials said the procession first reached the Phoolmati temple, from where it was taken to the Vishwanath temple.

The coronavirus pandemic cast its shadow on the Holi celebrations in the state with roads wearing a deserted look and people preferring to stay indoors, celebrating the festival with their family members.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath extended greetings to people, saying in a tweet that the festival symbolises the victory of truth over evil.

''Pray to God that the festival dedicated to love, cheerfulness and joy strengthen the colours of our unity and harmony. May the colours of happiness, peace and prosperity fill your lives,'' Adityanath said in a Hindi tweet.

In Lucknow, the district administration had on March 23 said in view of the COVID-19 situation, rain dance parties, open dance programmes and other public gatherings had been prohibited till further orders. The permission given earlier for all such type of parties was also cancelled. The traditional procession of ''laat sahib'' on the occasion of Holi was taken out in Shahjahanpur. According to the 18th-century tradition, Holi revellers in this Uttar Pradesh town begin the celebrations by hurling footwear at the "laat sahib" procession, featuring a cart and a man personifying a British.

Police officials said the procession first reached the Phoolmati temple, from where it was taken to the Vishwanath temple. The procession was also taken to the Kotwali police station, where the ''laat sahib'' was given a salute. "Laat sahib" was wearing a garland of shoes.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)