New Delhi [India], March 24 (ANI): On the eve of Holi celebrations, the fervour, frolic, and essence of the festival have hit markets across the country, which are filled with vibrant colours, toys, and different items selling in the market to add up to the festival.
People across the country are flocking to markets to purchase sweets, and colors. Streets are filled with temporary shops selling gulal, colours, toys, and other decor. The people of Madhya Pradesh, thronged the markets ahead of the Holi celebration to purchase gulal and different items to decorate their homes. Balloons, water guns, and face masks.
Also, shops are seen selling, masks of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, touching the political landscape with Lok Sabha polls just around the corner. In addition, the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) has made an effective impact on the market, as, due to the IPL, water guns with images of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are in great demand. The shopkeepers hope for good sales in this festive season.
Not only the Indians but also the foreign tourists from all over the world can be seen enjoying the festival in different parts of the country. Ahead of the Holi celebrations, tourists were seen flocking to Pushkar to get a taste of the famous ‘Pushkar ki Holi‘.
One of the tourists who visited Pushkar expressed his happiness and said that he was very excited to celebrate the festival of colours here. “Today, I feel very happy to be here. It’s a very holy place. I feel good energy from the local people. It just feels very nice. I am excited to feel the festival here,” he told ANI.
Streets are decorated with lights and colours all over the country on the occasion of Holi. Every year, Holi is celebrated with a whole lot of pomp and grandeur all over the country.
One of the most popular pilgrimage sites where Holi is celebrated with great fervour and enthusiasm is the Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain. People in Ujjain celebrated ‘Phoolon Wali Holi’ on Sunday. A huge number of devotees thronged the temple to witness the frenzied version of Holi.
The ‘Ganwar Maar’ dance ritual was also performed at Phagun Madai in Dantewada, Chhattisgarh, ahead of Holi.
Holi, a festival celebrated with as much fervour in the country as it is overseas, will be marked on March 25, Monday, this year.
The festival is preceded by a ritual of lighting bonfires called Holika Dahan, signifying the burning of the demon Holika. Some of the country’s oldest and most popular pilgrimage sites, such as Vrindavan, Mathura, and Barsana, draw revellers on this day, smearing themselves with the colours of Holi.
The festival is dedicated to Lord Krishna, who is believed to have spent a considerable amount of time in a region called Braj in Uttar Pradesh. It not only replicates the spirit of Holi but also impersonates the timeless love of Radha and Krishna.
Braj Ki Holi is one of the most vibrant of all Holi celebrations in the country. The Braj Ki Holi traditions take a cue from Lord Krishna and Radha’s life, and the celebrations at Mathura, Vrindavan, Barsana, Nandgaon, and Gokul are dedicated to Krishna Kanhaniya, who are believed to have spent his childhood in these regions. (ANI