Common citizens, as well as political leaders and ministers, celebrated Holi, called Dhuleti in Gujarat, with great zeal and enthusiasm across the state on Friday.
The festival of colours saw a different scale of celebrations this year in the backdrop of a significant drop in coronavirus cases, which encouraged people to step out of their homes without much fear and mingle with each other.
This was in sharp contrast to 2021 when COVID-19 cases were soaring ahead of Holi, leading the state government to ban public celebrations and mass functions on Dhuleti. The COVID-19 outbreak had dampened Holi festivities in 2020, too.
In absence of curbs this time, open plots with lawns on the outskirts of cities turned into venues for celebrations. Such commercial events were held in all major cities of Gujarat, including Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Surat.
"I have come here to enjoy the rain dance with my friends. Last year, we remained indoors because there was a ban on such functions. Luckily, there was no such ban this year. We have been waiting for this festival all year," said Yash Patel, a college student who came to enjoy Dhuleti at a party plot on the outskirts of Ahmedabad.
People also celebrated the festival in their residential societies by putting music systems in common areas and hiring water tankers to sprinkle water on each other.
Ministers and political leaders visited their respective native places to enjoy the festival with their near and dear ones. While former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani celebrated the festival in Rajkot, Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi was in Surat to mark the occasion.
Sanghavi also paid his respects at Ichchhanath Mahadev Temple in the Athwalines area. Notably, the temple is managed by local police. Union minister Parshottam Rupala celebrated the festival with his family and supporters in Amreli, while Gujarat Agriculture Minister Raghavji Patel visited Jamnagar to take part in festivities.
With PTI inputs.
