Sonia, Advani celebrate Holi

New Delhi/Vrindavan (UP), Mar 22: Holi, the festival of colours, is being celebrated across the country with great fervour and gaiety with leaders and politicians also spraying and smearing colours.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi celebrated Holi with her party leaders and workers at her residence here. Similar scenes marked the celebrations at the residence of senior leader of Bharatiya Janata Party, Lal Krishna Advani where his party members and workers cheered, danced and sang while splashing each other with colours. "India's Holi festival is unparalleled in the world. There is no other festival in the world that is labeled as promoting equality in the society," said Advani. Holi brings together people from all classes and age groups as they apply "gulal" or coloured powder on each other, distribute sweets and take out processions, dancing to tunes of drums and traditional Holi songs in a melange of colours.

Meanwhile, in holy town Vrindavan, foreign tourists joined in the festivities, playing with coloured powder and dancing. The festival is anxiously awaited for its fanfare, fun and frolic pardoned on this day as kids, youth and oldies come together to have a gala time. Celebrated in the month of Fagun (February-March) according to the Hindu calendar, Holi is associated with the uninhibited expression of love and affection. Celebrated at the onset of spring, the festival also holds a mythological importance - that of the triumph of good over evil.

In this festival, main emphasis is laid on the burning of Holika or lighting of Holi. Holika Dahan or the lighting of bonfire took place on the eve of Holi across the country. The origin of the traditional lighting of Holi is attributed by some to the burning of demonesses like Holika, Holaka and Putana who troubled little children or to the burning of Madan. The festival symbolizes the different shades of life and inspires to rejoice in the glory of nature in all its varied colours.

ANI