After 2 years of subdued festivities, Holi celebrated with fervour across Punjab, Haryana

After two years of muted festivities, Holi was celebrated across Punjab, Haryana and their common capital Chandigarh on Friday with much gaiety as revellers stepped out of their homes with pichkaris and gulal amid a decline in Covid cases.

After two years of muted festivities, Holi was celebrated across Punjab, Haryana and their common capital Chandigarh on Friday with much gaiety as revellers stepped out of their homes with 'pichkaris' and 'gulal' amid a decline in Covid cases. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann greeted people on Holi and hoped that the festival of colours, unity and harmony brings happiness and peace in everyone's life.

Haryana Chief Minister M L Khattar also extended his greetings to the people on the occasion.

Revellers exchanged greetings, visited friends and relatives, gifted 'gujia' (a traditional sweet) and smeared 'gulal' (colour powder) on each other's faces.

For the last two years, Holi festivities had remained subdued amid the coronavirus pandemic as people exercised caution and avoided mass gatherings. However, as the Covid cases have considerably declined in the two states and Chandigarh, celebrations were almost back to pre-Covid days.

''I had been missing the festivities like meeting friends and relatives. Earlier, in the housing society where I live, we used to have a big function where residents smeared 'gulal', but for the last two years it was stopped. ''Now, with the considerably improved Covid situation, I enjoyed the festivities like I used to do earlier,'' said Jhanvi, a Class X student from Chandigarh. Colours of all hues and smell of 'gulal' pervaded streets as people of all ages celebrated the festival.

'Holi Hai' rent the air as groups of revellers zoomed past on motorbikes while youngsters danced to popular numbers and children armed with 'pichkaris' (water gun) chased each other and hurled water-filled balloons on people from rooftops. The police in the two states and Chandigarh had made elaborate arrangements to ensure a safe Holi.

Earlier on Thursday, Mann had participated in a ''Holi Milan Samaroh'' at the Haryana Raj Bhawan here, where he and other dignitaries, including Punjab Governor B L Purohit, Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya and Khattar were seen in a joyous mood, showering rose petals and splashing 'gulal' on each other to mark the Holi celebrations.